By Staff Writer
THE European Union Chief of the Election Observation Mission , Fabio Massimo Castaldo touched the ground in Harare Tuesday ahead of the country’s make or break polls set for next month.
Accompanying him was a team of 11 analysts who are set to provide and independent and objective analysis of the half a decade’s constitutional process.
Castaldo said his mission’s presence is a step towards ensuring a free and transparent process.
“The deployment of this mission is a strong sign of Zimbabwe’s and the EU’s commitment to supporting genuine and transparent elections,” he said.
The EU Election Observation Mission will be joined by 46 long-term observers and 44 short-term observers.
On election day, the team will be supplemented by locally recruited short-term observers from various embassies, as well as a delegation from the European Parliament.
The total number of observers is expected to exceed 150, including representatives from EU member states, Canada, Norway, and Switzerland.
The mandate of the EU Election Observation Mission is to conduct an independent, impartial, and comprehensive analysis of the entire election process.
This includes assessing compliance with Zimbabwe’s national law and international standards for democratic elections.
Chief Observer Castaldo stressed that the mission will focus on assessing the level playing field for candidates and parties, as well as the electoral administration, campaign environment, media conduct, voting, counting, and result tabulation.
Chief Observer Castaldo emphasised the EU’s commitment to remaining in Zimbabwe beyond election day to observe the post-election environment.
This continued presence aims to ensure a thorough assessment of the overall electoral process.
The EU Election Observation Mission’s arrival signifies a collaborative effort between the EU and Zimbabwean institutions and people.
Their presence aims to promote transparency and fairness in the election process, fostering confidence in the democratic process and its outcome
