AU Observer Mission deployed to Zimbabwe: The African Union has approved the deployment of Long Term Observer (LTO) Mission to Zimbabwe ahead of the country’s harmonised elections. The MDC applauds the deployment of the LTO Mission which is consistent with its Conditions for a Sustainable Election in Zimbabwe (CoSEZ) which states that official observers and monitors should be in place to ensure the eradication of State sponsored violence, intimidation and to guarantee the secrecy, security and integrity of the vote and voter. The MDC launched its conditions for a sustainable election on 8 March 2012 which specify the need to have observers deployed in reasonable time, the need for security sector and media reform. MDC parliamentarians, despite vicious objections from Zanu PF, last year pushed through Parliament the ratification of African Union Charter on democratic governance, with Zimbabwe adopting the Charter last year. The Democracy and Electoral Assistance Unit of the Department of Political Affairs of the African Union Commission said it concluded plans as mandated by the Commission for the deployment of the African Union Long Term Observers to Zimbabwe on 15 June until 14 August 2013. A second team of observers is expected to be deployed into Zimbabwe one week to Election Day. The Mission (AU-EOM) draws its mandate from various African Union Instruments and most importantly the: • AU Guidelines on African Union Election Observation and Monitoring Missions, 2002 • The OUA/AU Declaration on Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, 2002 • African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, 1981 and • African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), 2007 • African Union Long-Term Observation Framework 2012 The Mission will remain in constant interaction with the AU Commission and submit weekly report to the Chairperson through the Democracy and Electoral Assistance Unit prior to the scheduled July 2013 Election. For more on this and other news visit the MDC website – mdc.co.zw, Facebook page – MDC Zimbabwe, Twitter - @ mdczimbabwe, Blogspot – mdcnewsbrief.blogspot or telephone – 263 4 770 708.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:33:19 +0000
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