Nhau News Online News that is accurate, reliable, trustworthy!!
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has invited local and international prospective observers and journalists interested in covering the August 23 harmonised elections to be accredited with the commission.
All journalists, both local and foreign, will be required to apply for the ZEC accreditation in order to be allowed to capture the proceedings in and near polling stations and be able to not just access polling stations, but also the ZEC command centres, observer briefings and to observe elections.
“Accreditation of observers and journalists is currently being held at Belvedere Technical Teachers Training College in Harare from 8am to 4pm daily.”
President Mnangagwa recently made it clear that Zimbabwe had nothing to hide as the country had put everything in place to ensure the elections were free, fair and transparent.
Local observers will be charged a fee of US$10, observers from the rest of Africa US$100, those from foreign embassies in Zimbabwe US$300, and observers from any country outside Africa US$400.
For the media, local journalists pay US$10, Zimbabwean journalists accredited with the Zimbabwe Media Commission and working in Zimbabwe for foreign media houses will pay US$100, and media practitioners from Africa will be charged US$100.
Media organisations have in the past lobbied ZEC to do away with double accreditation since journalists register with the Zimbabwe Media Commission to work in the country.
The Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi had also concurred that journalists should not be accredited twice.
However, the date for elections was proclaimed whilst the issue of dual accreditation was being finalised in Parliament, so this year double accreditation is required.
Despite the fact that the Government and other interested parties were ready to do away with the dual accreditation, the Constitution states that once an election date has been declared, no changes to electoral legislation or any other election law pertaining to the 2023 August general elections may be enacted.
The Constitution states: “After an election has been called, no change to the Electoral Law or to any other law relating to elections has effect for the purpose of that election.”
As it stands, the Constitution requires journalists to be accredited with ZEC, which means all journalists must be re-accredited by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission because the election date was announced before the Electoral Amendment Bill was passed into law.
The Electoral Amendment Bill sought, among other things, to address the issue of dual accreditation but journalists will not have option but to abide by the law.
Following President Mnangagwa’s resolve to conduct free, fair and transparent elections, Zimbabwe invited the world to witness this year’s harmonised polls, with the European Union being the latest to welcome the invitation as co-operation between the bloc and Zimbabwe continues to scale new heights.
Zimbabwe and the EU last week signed an administrative agreement to formalise the invitation of the bloc to observe the forthcoming harmonised elections.
Ambassador von Kirchmann said they were expecting at least 150 observers with the first group of 11 experts expected in the country this week.
Other bodies that have bee invited include the African Union, Sadc, COMESA and the Commonwealth. Herald
