Staff Writer
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network recently published a Compendium of the August 2023 Harmonised Elections observers’ recommendations which review the gaps in the legislative, administrative and political framework in which the plebiscite took place, in line with the Constitution, the electoral laws of Zimbabwe, regional and international principles and standards governing the conduct of democratic elections.
The Compendium brings to the fore 170 Recommendations that were proffered by various local, regional and international observer missions that observed the August 23 and 24 2023 Harmonised Elections.
One of the recommendations was that the Political Parties Finance Act should be amended to enable smaller parties to benefit from state allocated funding.
“Political parties should declare their source of funding to ensure transparency in the interest of the public. Political parties that receive funding under the Political Parties Finance Act should be subjected to public scrutiny to ensure accountability on the taxpayer’s money [ZESN].
“Introduce regulations on campaign expenditures, including regular Submission of financial reports by political parties/independent candidates: the publication of financial reports accessible to the public; and the introduction of graduated sanctions for violations of campaign Finance regulations (Carter Centre),” the Compendium said.
“To promote transparency and accountability, ensure that campaign financing is subject to disclosure and reporting requirements, as well as oversight by an independent authority, given the right and capacity to audit accounts and sanction violators. Make political issue advertising and third-party campaigning subject to similar regulation (EU EOM)
“Introduce a mechanism to ensure that political parties and candidates comply with any campaign finance regulations put in pale and that trained and competenet professional within an independent institution are mandated to audit campaign expenses (Carter Centre).”
ZESN hopes that the 170 recommendations contained in this Compendium will lay a sound framework that will help in improving policy making and facilitating accountability and transparency towards future elections and electoral processes in Zimbabwe.
About Author
