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The leadership of the African Union (AU) has appointed former prime minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda on a team of election observers that will monitor the elections in Zimbabwe slated to take place this week on Wednesday.

The African Union Commission (AUC) on Saturday (August 19, 2023) announced the arrival of the joint AU Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Election Observation Mission (EOM), for the August 23, 2023 Harmonized Elections in Zimbabwe.

“The joint EOM is led by H.E. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, former President of Nigeria in collaboration with Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, former prime minister of Uganda and Member of the COMESA Committee of Elders,” the statement reads in part.

It is comprised of 86 Short Term Observers (STOs) drawn from Ambassadors accredited to the African Union, Officials of Election Management Bodies, members of African civil society organizations, African election experts, Human Rights specialists, gender and media experts, and representatives of youth organizations.,”

The observers are drawn from 23 countries which include Benin, Botswana, CAR, Djibouti, Liberia, Libya, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia. Observers will be deployed to all 10 Provinces 16 electoral districts in Zimbabwe.

The EOM will base its assessment on the legal framework governing elections in Zimbabwe and the OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections, the standards and obligations stipulated in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, the Principles for Election Management, Monitoring and Observation (PEMMO), COMESA Elections Observation Guidelines and the International Declaration of Principles (DoP) for International Election Observation among others.

The assessment will be based on the electoral process's regularity, transparency, equity, and fair conduct.

The Mission shall interact with state authorities, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission political parties, the media, civil society organisations and representatives of the international community. 

The Mission will equally interact with other election observation missions deployed to observe the 2023 Harmonized Elections in Zimbabwe.