The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) offers its analysis of the elections held in Zimbabwe on July 30, 2018.
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJPZ) released a report on the 2018 Zimbabwe Harmonized Elections. The eight-page executive summary of the report is available here. The full report will be made available on the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops' Conference website in the near future.
From the executive summary:
"The Catholic Observer: Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJPZ) Report for 2018 Zimbabwe Harmonized Elections analyses Zimbabwe’s 2018 Harmonized Elections using a combination of CCJPZ’s long term and Elections Day observation reports - and the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act 2013, the Traditional Leaders Act (Chapter 29:17), the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) and the Social Teachings of the Church as baselines. The long term observation reports were produced every two months since 2013 Harmonized Elections by 240 CCJPZ’s long term situation monitors or observers from Zimbabwe’s eight Dioceses. Election Day observation reports were produced by 850 men and women deployed by CCJPZ and Inter-regional Regional Meeting of Bishops of Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) at marginalised and hot spot polling stations in all dioceses on the Election Day. Following the Electoral Cycle, this report tries to take a holistic approach to deduce an objective verdict of Zimbabwe’s 2018 Harmonized Elections. It makes an evidence based analysis of the pre-election environment - beginning soon after 2013 Harmonized Elections - the Election Day and the Post-Election Day. In both respects, the report tries to reveal positive experiences before, during and after the Harmonized Elections - and what could have been done better. It ends with a tabulated profile of matters that arise from the observation process, conclusions and recommendations."
The executive summary includes a list of improvements that have been made since the 2013 elections, namely, a minimal use of violence and oppressive legislation, as well as a long list of the failings and suggestions for what needs to be done.
Photo: Screen shot from video of Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC) press conference on pre-election environment, voting processes and how Zimbabweans should behave during the electoral period, July 27,2018. available on the Facebook page of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe
