Electoral Commission takes government to court

Zimbabwe’S Electoral Supervisory Commission (ESC), a government-appointed body charged with supervising all elections, took the government to court this week to challenge new regulations that usurp its powers to supervise polls.

The independent ‘Financial Gazette’ said the ESC filed its case with the High Court on Tuesday, arguing that it is the sole body entrusted with supervising elections and accrediting monitors, observers and polling agents under the country’s constitution. New regulations gazetted last week give the office of Registrar-General Tobaiwa Mudede, a member of the ruling ZANU PF party, sweeping powers to conduct the accreditation of all local and foreign observers and to issue them with a code of conduct that carries heavy penalties if broken.

“The regulations effectively give Mudede and the Election Directorate, another state-appointed body, total control of the staging of the polls, including Zimbabwe’s crucial parliamentary elections being held next week, leaving the ESC out in the cold,” it said.