Election observation is fundamentally an exercise in support of democracy. It helps to promote and protect the civil and political rights of participants in elections. Election observers aim to assess the conduct of an election process based on national and international election regulations. Even though they cannot prevent election fraud, they record and report suspicious practices that can lead to the correction of errors and weak practices. Civil Society Organisations have been recognised worldwide as having a significant role to play in promoting peace and democracy during elections. A recent study and publication by Dr Olivia Gumbo, a lead advisor and consultant with the Department of International Development, showed that CSOs disseminated information about the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise across the country, contributing to high voter registration and high voter turnout in Zimbabwe's 2018 harmonised elections. This article seeks to summarise the requirements for voter education and election observer accreditation. To read more, download the attachment below:
Development-Watch-Volume-4-Issue-2.pdf