Zimbabwe: Late changes in the right of access for domestic monitors

FROM EISA Zimababwe Election Update 2000, 2, 24 June, 15-16.

A circular issued by the Election Directorate on 23 June amended statutory instrument 180A of 2000 which has been issued days before limiting the domestic monitors to one per polling station.

The circular stated that four monitors could now be present but that at any given time only one monitor could be inside the polling station. Moreover, whereas statutory instrument 161A of 2000 permitted monitors to inspect the vehicles transporting the ballots from the polling station to the counting stations they were only able to follow the vehicle in his or her own transport. The 23 June circular amended these arrangements to enable one domestic monitor or party agent on each vehicle transporting the boxes, if there should be room on the vehicle.

Once at the counting stations the monitor supervisors were also to be given right of access to the domestic monitors in the stations.

The late changes in the regulations governing the numbers and rights of access for domestic monitors meant that the logistical operations for the over 24 000 trained domestic monitors had to be altered twice in the course of the days before the elections. First the number of domestic monitors was restricted (domestic observers planned on having six monitors per polling station: two inside, two outside and two available for staying overnight with the ballot boxes).

Domestic monitor organizations had to decide how to divide responsibilities once it was ruled that only one monitor per station could be present. Second, when the number of monitors per polling station was increased the monitors had to once again alter their plans and work to ensure that the new number of permitted monitors could receive their accreditation badges in time.