An observer team from The Carter Center, a United States-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), has said the majority of its members have been denied accreditation by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
In a statement issued less than 24 hours before voting starts in Zimbabwe’s general elections, The Carter Center said 30 of its 48 short-term observers still have not received accreditation. It said:
Despite the Zimbabwean government’s invitation to launch an election observation mission for the August 23 elections, 30 of The Carter Center’s 48 short-term observers still have not received accreditation from Zimbabwean authorities.
This delay in accreditation is unprecedented in its 30-plus years of observing elections.
It represents a severe and unwarranted obstruction to the Center’s mission, inconsistent with commonly recognized and respected norms and practices.
The Carter Center has appealed to Zimbabwean authorities to grant its observers accreditation this Tuesday, 22 August, saying continued delay will “hinder its ability” to successfully conduct its duties. It said:
The Center requests that accreditation for these observers be given today, August 22, so it can fulfill its mission to provide an impartial assessment of the election.
Any further delay in accreditation will prevent the Center from deploying these observers and will hinder its ability to observe polling, counting, and tabulation in many locations.
On Monday, Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe, alleged that some international players are working with local players to deploy people in Zimbabwe disguised as election observers or researchers in order to engage in activities that threaten peace in the country.
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