ZIMBABWEAN ELECTION MONITORS EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003098

SIPDIS

AF FOR A/S RICE, P/DAS POWELL, AND DAS SCHNEIDMAN
AF/S FOR A. RENDER, D. BOOTH, AND C. GURNEY
NSC FOR GAYLE SMITH
PASS USAID FOR A/AID RMCALL AND AFR/SA WJEFFERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/10
TAGS: PGOV ZI PREL KDEM EAID ZI EU
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWEAN ELECTION MONITORS EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT
INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION PROCESS; AMENDMENTS TO ELECTORAL LAW
GAZETTED
CONFIDENTIAL


PAGE 02 HARARE 03098 01 OF 02 090725Z

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD. REASON: 1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: DOMESTIC ELECTION MONITORS HAVE EXPRESSED SERIOUS
CONCERN ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION THAT UN ACCREDITATION OF
INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVERS WILL BE APPROVED BY AN INTER-MINISTERI
AL
GOVERNMENT BODY, RATHER THAN BY THE ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY COMMISSION
(ESC),AS HAS BEEN THE CASE IN THE PAST. (THE SHIFT, RUMORED FOR WEEKS
, WAS
MADE OFFICIAL IN AMENDED ELECTION REGULATIONS GAZETTED JUNE 7.) THE
DOMESTIC MONITORS, WHO VIEW THE ESC AS MORE INDEPENDENT, SEE THIS AS PA
RT OF
A BROADER EROSION OF THE ROLE OF THE ESC (TO WHICH THEY REPORT). THEY
HAVE
SAID THAT THEY MAY REFUSE TO WORK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS IF T
HEY
ACCEPT ACCREDITATION THROUGH A GOVERNMENT BODY OTHER THAN THE ESC.
OBSERVER DELEGATIONS ARE WORKING HARD TO FIND A FORMULA TO PRESERVE THE
IR
RELATIONS WITH DOMESTIC OBSERVERS WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING THEIR OWN EFFORT

S.
END SUMMARY.

DOMESTIC OBSERVERS' CONCERNS
--------------


2. (C) AT A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER DELEGATIONS

FROM THE EU, COMMONWEALTH, IRI/NDI, AND SADC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM,
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE DOMESTIC MONITORING EFFORT EXPRESSED SERIOUS
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 HARARE 03098 01 OF 02 090725Z
CONCERN ABOUT A MOVE BY THE GOVERNMENT TO SHIFT RESPONSIBILITY FOR
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER ACCREDITATION TO AN INTER-MINISTERIAL BODY KNOWN

AS THE ELECTION DIRECTORATE. IN THE PAST, THIS ROLE WAS PLAYED BY THE
ELECTORAL SUPERVISORY COMMISSION, WHICH THE NGO'S VIEW AS MORE
INDEPENDENT. THE PRIMARY SPOKESMAN FOR THE DOMESTIC OBSERVERS HAS BEEN

ISAAC MAPOSA, COORDINATOR OF THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY (NCA)
,
WHICH IS A MEMBER ORGANIZATION IN THE ELECTION SUPPORT NETWORK, A
CONSORTIUM OF NGO'S INVOLVED IN ELECTION MONITORING.


3. (U) AFTER WEEKS OF UNCERTAINTY OVER WHO WOULD APPROVE ACCREDITATION
OF INTERNATIONAL MONITORS, THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTED AMENDMENTS TO
ELECTORAL REGULATIONS ASSIGNING THIS TASK TO "THE ELECTION DIRECTORATE,
ON
THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS." THE ROLE OF
ACCREDITING DOMESTIC MONITORS REMAINS WITH THE ESC. AMONG THE OTHER
PROVISIONS OF THE AMENDED REGULATIONS ARE:

-- A PROHIBITION AGAINST MEMBERS OF POLITICAL PARTIES ACTING AS ELECTIO
N
MONITORS AT POLLS WHERE A MEMBER OF THEIR PARTY IS CONTESTING (NOTE: ZA
NU-
PF AND THE MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) ARE CONTESTING IN ALL
CONSTITUENCIES. END NOTE.);

-- A PROVISION ALLOWING THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL TO REQUIRE DOMESTIC MONIT
ORS
TO ATTEND A TRAINING COURSE;

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04 HARARE 03098 01 OF 02 090725Z
-- A USD 100 ACCREDITATION FEE FOR INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS.

SINCE THERE IS NO SITTING PARLIAMENT, THE LEGISLATION ENTERS INTO EFFEC
T
IMMEDIATELY.


4. (C) THE DOMESTIC OBSERVERS HAVE TOLD THE UN AND INTERNATIONAL
OBSERVERS THAT THEY VIEW THE TRANSFER OF ACCREDITATION APPROVAL TO THE
ELECTION DIRECTORATE AS ONE OF A NUMBER OF STEPS THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

HAS TAKEN TO SIDELINE THE ESC, TO WHICH THE DOMESTIC OBSERVERS REPORT,
AND
CENTRALIZE CONTROL OVER THE ELECTION PROCESS. IN A JUNE 2 MEETING WITH
THE
EUROPEAN COMMISSION OBSERVER DELEGATION, REPRESENTATIVES OF HUMAN RIGHT
S
ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER CIVIL SOCIETY NGO'S ECHOED THESE CONCERNS.

THE UN'S STANCE
--------------


5. (C) BEFORE THE NEW REGULATIONS APPEARED, MAPOSA AND OTHERS URGED TH
E
UN ELECTORAL OFFICE, WHICH IS C