The Commonwealth has selected Ambassador Amina Chawahir Mohamed, former Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Education and Foreign Affairs, to lead a 15-member observer mission for the August 23 elections in Zimbabwe. This is the second time that the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) will be monitoring the country’s polls since Zimbabwe withdrew from the 56-member bloc in December 2003.
Commonwealth secretary-general Patricia Scotland confirmed that they accepted the invitation from Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to observe the elections. Scotland said:
Our engagement in Zimbabwe’s electoral process signifies our dedication to transparent, inclusive, and credible elections.
… we aim to promote transparency, reinforce democracy and the rule of law, and safeguard the right of the Zimbabwean people to participate in their nation’s democratic journey.
Reflecting the diverse expertise and experience of Commonwealth member countries, the COG consists of 15 eminent individuals from various backgrounds, including politicians, diplomats, and experts in law, human rights, gender equality, and election administration.
The observers will assess the conduct of the process as a whole and, where appropriate, make recommendations for the strengthening of the electoral system in Zimbabwe.
Prior to deployment across Zimbabwe, the group will have briefings with the electoral authorities, political parties, law enforcement agencies, the diplomatic community, the media and civil society groups representing women, youth and people with disabilities.
The COG will arrive in Zimbabwe on Wednesday and later submit a comprehensive report with observations and recommendations to the Commonwealth secretary-general, evaluating the electoral process and suggesting areas for improvement.
Following his assumption of power in 2017, President Emmerson Mnangagwa sought readmission to the Commonwealth in 2018 as part of his efforts to establish greater international credibility. Zimbabwe’s desire to rejoin the Commonwealth aligns with the Mnangagwa administration’s objective of re-engaging with the global community after approximately two decades of isolation.
In order to proceed with the readmission process, the southern African nation was advised to implement various reforms aimed at strengthening democratic practices, with electoral reforms being particularly emphasised. Zimbabwe’s initial suspension from the Commonwealth occurred in March 2002, prompted by the condemnation of former President Robert Mugabe for election rigging and the persecution of political opponents. Subsequently, in 2003, Mugabe withdrew Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth, characterizing the organization as an “Anglo-Saxon unholy alliance.”