Zimbabweans must hold the Judiciary and ZEC accountable for contested elections

The convener of THE National Electoral Reforms Agenda (NERA) and leader of the FORUS political party, Manyara Muyenziwa, asserts that Zimbabweans should demand accountability from both the Judiciary and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) in the wake of disputed elections.

The August 2023 harmonized elections in Zimbabwe were criticized as "a sham" that fell short of international standards, as noted by various observer mission reports, including those from SADC and the European Union (EU). Subsequently, the EU withdrew its funding from ZEC, citing numerous irregularities.

Addressing opposition political parties that had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NERA to advocate for electoral reforms promoting "future free and fair elections," Muyenziwa emphasized that losing political parties had disregarded the SADC Elections Observer Mission (EOM) Final Report on Zimbabwe Elections.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the elections, Muyenziwa questioned the nation's response to the SADC EOM's efforts and urged a thorough examination of the report's recommendations. She highlighted the lack of action by Zimbabweans, attributing it to various factors, including a limited understanding of electoral processes.

Muyenziwa underscored the importance of addressing issues such as constitutional provisions for the timeframe following election results, court processes, and required documentation. She called for widespread citizen involvement in these processes, advocating for a careful review of the SADC report to hold ZEC and the Judiciary accountable through constructive criticism.

The political parties embarked on a journey to reinforce electoral reforms proposed by NERA amid political-economic challenges in Zimbabwe. Notably, the main opposition political party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), opted not to participate in the signing ceremony.