The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) held a half day post-election consultative discussion on Friday, 15 February 2019 at Monomatapa Hotel in Harare. The objectives of the meeting were to gather civic society’s views on the 2018 harmonised elections, establish consensus on key electoral reform areas and to collect input in preparation for the ZESN all stakeholders conference, which is scheduled for March 2018. The meeting was attended by 30 participants representing various civic society organisations and gathered views under the following themes:
- The overall assessment of the 2018 electoral processes including Voter Registration, The Voters’ Roll, Voter Education, Nomination, Campaigning and the Results Management process
- Perceptions on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
- Participation of Marginalised groups in the election process
- The role of the civil society in the election process and
- The Inclusion of other critical stakeholders in elections.
Asked to identify the most critical reforms that need to be implemented before the next elections, participants highlighted the following as among the most important reforms that need to be implemented before the next elections: The independence of ZEC, the need for continuous civic and voter education, the incorporation of the diaspora vote, the need for the regulation of political parties and the need for the delimitation of constituencies before the next elections among others.
ZESN plans to hold consultative meetings of this nature in the other nine provinces of Zimbabwe before the Post Election All Stakeholders Conference is convened.
Source: Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN)
