Commonwealth observer group begins assessment of Zimbabwe's electoral process

Source: Xinhua| 2018-07-25 19:40:16|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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HARARE, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The Commonwealth's team of observers have begun its assessment of the electoral process in Zimbabwe, which will hold general elections on July 30.

The observers, who are led by former Ghanaian President John Mahama and comprise 23 eminent people from across the Commonwealth, will be in Zimbabwe until Aug. 6.

Mahama said the group's mandate is to consider factors that affected the credibility of the electoral process and report on whether the vote had been conducted according to the national, regional, and international standards to which Zimbabwe had committed itself.

"We will perform our role with impartiality, independence and transparency," he pledged.

He said the group would issue a statement on its preliminary findings after the elections before a final report is submitted to Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, who would share it with the government of Zimbabwe, leaders of political parties, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), and to Commonwealth governments and the public.

"The final report will be considered in the Commonwealth Secretary-General's assessment of Zimbabwe's interest in being readmitted to the organization," he said.

"The Commonwealth Observer Group urges citizens, particularly women and youth, to participate in this election, and all stakeholders to play their part in ensuring a peaceful and credible process," Mahama said.

The commonwealth last observed elections in Zimbabwe in 2002, a year before the southern African country withdrew from the grouping over disputes relating to governance issues.

However, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who took over from former President Robert Mugabe in November 2017, in May wrote to Scotland, the commonwealth secretary-general, asking her to initiate the re-admission process.

In that letter, he requested the Commonwealth to observe the forthcoming elections, with the final report of the observer group contributing to the secretary-general's informal assessment of whether Zimbabwe should re-join the organization.?