/The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) deployed Long Term Observers (LTOs) to observe the Nomination Court proceedings in all 10 provinces across the country. The Nomination Court sat on 14 June 2018 to receive papers from candidates for local authority, National Assembly, and presidential elections set for 30 July 2018.
The LTOs observed proceedings in a total of 116 Nomination Courts including Ward level, national assembly and the presidential nomination courts across all 10 provinces on the day of the court sitting, 14 June 2018.
Based on the observations in this report, ZESN makes the following recommendations:
- The law needs to provide a specific timeframe for when the final voters’ roll should be availed to the political contestants, before the sitting of the Nomination Court.
- Stricter control over how political party primaries are conducted could be considered for future elections, including an insistence on choice by secret ballot.
- Political parties must endeavour to strengthen intra-party democracy processes to avoid conflicts.
- Nomination Court procedures should include a provision for clear announcement of the reasons for rejection of each candidate to ensure transparency to observers and party agents so as to enhance the credibility of the process.
- Political parties and independent candidates should be encouraged to submit their nomination papers before the day that the Court sits so that they have time to rectify any challenges such as missing or incorrect documentation.
- Political parties must put in place mechanisms to ensure equal representation between male and female candidates.
- There is need for ZEC and CSOs to conduct comprehensive voter education for nomination to ensure that prospective candidates are aware of requirements of the Nomination Court.
Source: Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN)
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