.#Youth4SDGs Media Monitors ZLHR HABAKKUK TRUST EFZ Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe #LeaveNoYouthBehind ALBINO TRUST OF ZIMBABWE MISA Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Union of Journalists #RespectHer Parliament of Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa Women's Institute for Leadership Development National Youth Development Trust Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) Project Vote 263🇿🇼 The Zimbabwe Peace Project Women and Law in Southern Africa - Zimbabwe NASCOHZWᅠ SADC Secretariat GNDEM Exchanges AfricanElections

Social media can amplify political discourse, facilitate rapid information sharing, mobilize voters, enable citizen participation. However, it also spreads misinformation, polarizes opinions & can influence electoral outcomes! EPD - European Partnership for Democracy E-HORN WAEON AfricTivistes AfEONet Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa

Short-term election observers monitor polling stations on election day, ensuring procedures are followed correctly, observing voting & counting processes & reporting any irregularities EPD - European Partnership for Democracy AfricTivistes Democracy Reporting International AfEONet ELOG Kenya CDD-Ghana WAEON Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa E-HORN EU Council

Election observation ensures transparency, fairness & credibility in electoral processes. It helps identify irregularities, promotes democracy & enhances public trust in the integrity of elections. EPD - European Partnership for Democracy DRI AfricTivistes AfEONet CDD-Ghana E-HORN WAEON EU Council

Day 1 ESN-SA Academy on Election Observation WAEON ZESN CCMG Zambia AfricTivistes AfEONet E-HORN DRI KZNChristian Council

ESN-SA Election Academy kicked off today in Johannesburg, South Africa.

ZESN Preliminary Statement on 6 April 2024 by-elections Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Zimbabwe Council of Churches EFZ HABAKKUK TRUST Media Monitors MISA Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Union of Journalists #RespectHer NASCOHZWᅠ ALBINO TRUST OF ZIMBABWE Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) Women's Institute for Leadership Development National Youth Development Trust Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe #Youth4SDGs The Zimbabwe Peace Project ZLHR CCJP Harare Women's Action Group

The Electorate's participation in municipal elections ensures that communities have a voice in decisions that directly affect their well-being in terms of service delivery such as sanitation, public safety, public health, infrastructure & future development. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission EFZ

Voting is ongoing in Kusile RDC Ward 13 & Ward 3 Redcliff Municipality by-elections until 7pm, ZESN urges voters go out and vote in peace. Local authority elections are very crucial as they determine local governance & directly impact citizens' daily lives. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Parliament of Zimbabwe

Across all the polling stations in Ward 3, Redcliff Municipality & Kusile RDC Ward 3 observers noted that a few people were redirected & others turned away & not allowed to vote for reasons including turning up at the polling station with unacceptable forms of identification

Section 59 of the Electoral Act provides for assisted voting of illiterate or physically handicapped voters by a person of choice. ZESN observers reported that there were low numbers of assisted voters in the Kusile RDC Ward 13 & Redcliff Ward 3 by-elections Zimbabwe Electoral Commission NASCOHZWᅠ

Observers have reported that ZANU PF & Independent candidates that contested the Redcliff Municipality Ward 3 by-elections had polling agents in all the polling stations where ZESN observed Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Zim Media Review ZiVA Post On Sunday Connected Stories Zimbabwe Council of Churches

.ZESN commends the deployment of polling agents as this allows them to track polling processes which in turn enables them to make any interventions where needed. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Elisabeth Valerio ZANU PF Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Zimbabwe Council of Churches ALBINO TRUST OF ZIMBABWE EFZ National Youth Development Trust Women's Institute for Leadership Development Project Vote 263🇿🇼

ZANU-PF, UZA & independent candidates that contested the by-election in Kusile had polling agents in all the polling stations where ZESN observed. ZANU PF Elisabeth Valerio Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Media Monitors Zimbabwe Council of Churches ALBINO TRUST OF ZIMBABWE EFZ HABAKKUK TRUST ZLHR Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe

Polling procedures were duly followed in accordance with the law e.g checking voters’ names on the voters’ roll and checking their fingers for ink before they could be allowed to vote. Ballot papers were stamped with an official Zimbabwe Electoral Commission stamp before being issued to voters.

ZESN observers reported that the polling stations were opened on time with all the essential polling materials such as ballot boxes, ballot papers, indelible finger markers, voters’ rolls & the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission official stamps available EFZ ZLHR Zimbabwe Council of Churches HABAKKUK TRUST

Prior to the setting up of polling stations, voters rolls were displayed outside to enable the electorate to check their names, a good practice that serves to lessen the number of redirected and turned away voters on polling day. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission EFZ Zimbabwe Council of Churches HABAKKUK TRUST

The nominated candidates for Kusile RDC’s Ward 13 are Henry Moyo (UZA), Celani Ndimande (Independent) & Donald Chewareerwa (ZANU PF). Redcliff Municipality’s Ward 3 are Rangarirai Sibanda (Independent), Christina Sigauke (ZANU PF) & Tinei Siziba (Independent) Project Vote 263🇿🇼

The Kusile RDC Ward 13 & Redcliff Municipality Ward 3 by-elections are being held in accordance with Section 121A and Section 125 (4) (b) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13]. Zimbabwe Council of Churches EFZ Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe Media Monitors HABAKKUK TRUST NASCOHZWᅠ ALBINO TRUST OF ZIMBABWE #Youth4SDGs National Youth Development Trust

The Nomination Courts sat for purposes of receiving nominations of candidates for election as councillors for the vacant Wards on Friday 23 February 2024. Zimbabwe Council of Churches EFZ Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe Media Monitors HABAKKUK TRUST NASCOHZWᅠ ALBINO TRUST OF ZIMBABWE Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) Zimbabwe Union of Journalists #Youth4SDGs National Youth Development Trust