OUR RECOMENDATIONS
In light of the developing situation ZPP makes the following
observations and recommendations.
Parliament should institute a pre-electoral dialogue that leads to a pact,
where all electoral malpractices are dealt with well in time before
elections. This is based on the precedence set when Zanu PF and MDC-T
worked on operationalizing SADC guidelines on elections in 2007 and
this led to one of Zimbabwe’s most open elections in March 2008.
Regrettably, the country regressed soon after the elections and
considering the current events, there is need to revisit that commitment
by both political parties to ensure that Zimbabwe does not have a repeat
of the 2008 electoral violence.
Never again should Zimbabweans be subjected to killings, torture,
assault, harassment and displacement for political reasons and the onus
is on the current elected representatives to make sure this does not
happen and ZPP continues to appeal to each of their consciences. One
more time, ZPP strongly recommends that the Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission (ZEC), through its Multi-Party Liaison Committee,
strengthens its ability to hold political parties to account without fear or
favour.
ZPP also urges SADC to use its mandate to proactively prevent the
recurrence of political repression. Through its relevant arms, the
regional body should engage the Zimbabwean authorities and political
parties to get a guarantee that the 2023 elections are going to be free,
fair and peaceful and that they will allow the free expression of every
Zimbabwean.
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