Commonwealth leaders are moving forward with efforts to bring Zimbabwe back into the organization, despite concerns raised by a recent election report.
A confidential report by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland suggests that Zimbabwe has made “remarkable democratic progress” and would “flourish again” if readmitted to the Commonwealth.
The 52-page report, seen by The Globe and Mail, acknowledges ongoing challenges in Zimbabwe, such as political prisoners, repression of civil society, and restrictions on political activity, but maintains that readmission could help improve the country’s democratic processes.
Commonwealth members, including Canada, are facing a deadline of November 26 to submit their views on Zimbabwe’s readmission. If there are no objections, Zimbabwe could be invited to formally apply for re-admission.
However, a separate report by Commonwealth election observers casts doubt on the credibility of Zimbabwe’s 2023 election. The 108-page report, completed in early 2024, highlights serious deficiencies in the election, including biased media coverage, lack of electoral reforms, and issues with political party registration and campaign finance.
The observer group could not endorse the election, citing significant issues that “severely affect” the credibility of the vote. The report concludes that the government has not demonstrated sufficient commitment to democratic reforms.
The election report was not publicly available for much of 2024 and is still not listed on the Commonwealth Secretariat’s website, although it can be accessed upon request.
Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth in 2002 due to widespread criticism of its land reform policies, rigged elections, and human rights abuses. In response, then-President Robert Mugabe withdrew the country from the organisation.
After taking office in 2017 following a military coup, Emmerson Mnangagwa announced in 2018 that Zimbabwe would seek re-admission to the Commonwealth as part of a broader strategy to secure foreign investment and international loans.
Mnangagwa’s government won the disputed 2018 and 2023 elections, but both elections were marred by allegations of irregularities, voter manipulation, and intimidation, with international observers raising concerns over their credibility.
The Commonwealth promotes values of free and democratic societies, including human rights, the rule of law, and freedom of expression.
Critics argue that the organisation’s credibility is undermined by its decision to admit authoritarian regimes like Rwanda, Gabon, and Togo, which have poor human rights records.
In 2022, the Commonwealth chose Rwanda, a country with a history of imprisoning and killing dissidents, as the host for its heads of government summit, raising further questions about the organisation’s commitment to democratic values.
Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), strongly opposes the country’s bid to rejoin the Commonwealth.
Spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi argues that Zimbabwe’s record of election manipulation, voter intimidation, corruption, and attacks on opposition figures disqualifies it from re-admission.
While most African countries support Zimbabwe’s readmission, some Commonwealth members, particularly from the UK, argue that Zimbabwe is not yet ready to return due to ongoing democratic deficits and human rights concerns.
Jonny Oates, a British Liberal Democrat politician and member of the House of Lords, said it was concerning that the Commonwealth would consider readmitting Zimbabwe while many opposition supporters remain imprisoned. He posted on X:
It’s concerning that The Commonwealth is proposing readmission of Zimbabwe when Jameson Timba and many other opposition supporters remain in prison and as far as I can see it still has not published the full report of the Commonwealth Observer mission on the 2023 elections.
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