Zimbabwe will hold presidential and parliamentary elections on Aug. 23, with the southern African country’s extended economic crisis and accusations of a government crackdown against its opponents expected to once again take centre stage.
On 23 August 2023, Zimbabweans will vote to elect councillors, members of parliament, and a president. Ambassador Amina Chawahir Mohamed, former Cabinet Secretary for Education and Foreign Affairs of Kenya, will lead a team of Commonwealth election observers to Zimbabwe for the upcoming election.
There are 11 candidates vying for the presidency. However, the key contest is between incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa, 80, from the governing ZANU-PF party, and Nelson Chamisa, 45, of the opposition Citizen’s Coalition for Change (CCC).
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, constituted a Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) at the invitation of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
This is the third time the former Foreign Affairs CS in former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government reappeared with an international election observer job after handing over power following the appointment of new CSs by President William Ruto.
Approximately 6.6 million people are registered to vote in this year’s election and will have the right to cast their ballot for the presidential candidate and candidates for both houses of the national assembly, and local councillors.
“Ex-CS Amina Mohamed will lead election observers for the Zimbabwean presidential poll scheduled for August 23.” The statement reads.
Other former CSs who served under the immediate former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s cabinet have equally gained international recognition by landing international jobs.
The mandate of the Group, which is independent and impartial, is to observe the preparations for the election, the polling, counting and the results process, and the overall electoral environment. The observers will assess the conduct of the process as a whole and, where appropriate, make recommendations for the strengthening of the electoral system in Zimbabwe.
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by: Jusa