ZESN Voter Education

The Swedish Embassy agreement for support to the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN)’s Electoral Support Project 2016-2019 was provided under a basket funding mechanism. The Swedish grant funded ZESN from May 2016 to December 2019. The initial grant was initially supposed to end in 2018, with the period from January 2019 to June 2019 being a no cost extension. Following the end of project evaluation and strategic planning a bridge funding from July to December 2019 was provided to prepare for the proposal for a second phase. The main programme areas of the programme are: Monitoring and Observation, Advocacy for Electoral Reform, Electoral Education and Capacity Building, and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning. Some of the key achievements during the lifetime of the programme include: - successfully advocating for a number of administrative reforms such as the adoption of a new voter registration system the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) - lobbied for international observers to be invited to observe Zimbabwean elections - easing of requirements for the registration of aliens to vote - lobbied (and achieved a positive result) for early accreditation for civic and voter education The overall assessment is that ZESN initiatives over the period have greatly contributed to improvements, on different levels, for the 2018 elections. The advocacy and voter education for the BVR contribtued to the registration of 5,695,706 voters with 82.5%  turning out to vote in the elections. As part of ZESN activities a total of more than 6 million people were reached collectively through radio, television, and other mass media platforms such as social media.  ZESN also provided observers for the harmonised general elections in 2018, but also for all by-elections held during the period. Overall there was an increase in citizen participation from 54% in 2013 to 85% in 2018. In the run up to the 2018 election ZESN together with Election Resource Foundation established a forum for cooperation and organisation for CSOs involved in elections. The cooperation facilitated a cluster approach for effective use of resources, and in order to avoid duplication of efforts, fragmentation and to leverage on each other's strengths as well as do more within a resource constrained environment. The clusters also strengthened the advocacy effecty by amplifying voices on key electoral reforms/issues pertinent to the Zimbabwean situation and to encourage cooperation rather than competition among CSOs.  ZESN’s advocacy efforts during the implementation of the project contributed to the government’s invitation of regional and international observers as a result of which more than 40 countries and 15 regional and international organisations such as the Commonwealth, European Union (EU), the Carter Centre, International Republican Institute (IRI), National Democratic Institute (NDI), Eminent Persons and many others were invited. Throughout the project, ZESN ensured that the electoral agenda remained a topical issue in mainstream media through editorial support and capacity building to local journalists. ZESN provided newspaper outlets and radio stations with credible electoral information to use in their articles and programmes, as well as providing editorial support in close to 300 articles that were published in both print and online media. During the course of the project, ZESN managed to bring all the major political parties to discuss critical issues such as the adoption of the BVR, election preparedness, electoral reforms, and other pertinent election-related issues that were topical at any given time, to enable an environment where members of different political persuasions could hold constructive discussions on matters of national interest.During the duration of the project ZESN observed all electoral processes which included by-elections; the BVR process; the printing of the ballot paper (though the process did not meet the expected level of scrutiny and observation with stakeholders following the process from a distance); the sitting of the nomination court nationwide; the pre-election period, including party primaries, the political environment, and party campaigns in the run up to the election day; election-day processes and environment; and the post-election period.ZESN generated evidence-based advocacy issues and recommendations relating to the legislative, institutional, and administrative challenges within the Zimbabwean electoral system. For instance, ZESN contributed to the gathering of evidence related to the disenfranchisement of voters on the basis of the proof of residence requirement and alien status. This assisted in the easing of requirements on proof of residence and aliens’ registration which significantly contributed to 5.3 million voters registering for the 2018 polls.The deployment of 210 long term observers and 7240 short term observers countrywide for the 2018 elections greatly contributed to the deterrence of electoral malpractices such as violence and intimidation. The advocacy work of ZESN, and the presence of ZESN observers along with the other observer missions deployed during the 2018 harmonised elections, is assessed to have contributed to the increase in citizen participation from 54% in 2013 to 85% in 2018. Recommendations and advocacy issues clearly articulated in ZESN’s report on the 2018 Harmonised Elections.

The overall goal of ZESN is: To facilitate the participation of civil society in local authority, parliamentary, presidential elections and by-elections in order to promote democratic values, transparent, free and fair electoral environment and processes in accordance with set international standards. ZESN’s theory of change follows the logic that if there is/are: Strengthened national democratic institutions; Improved transparency in electoral processes; Increased citizen access to and participation in electoral processes; and Enhanced effectiveness of CSOs’ election-related interventions; then the desired impact, of “a Zimbabwe where citizens are empowered to hold the State to account for the respect of human rights, good governance and democratic principles” will be realized. The current project which is being supported by Sweden has the impact goal of:A Zimbabwe where democratic electoral environment and processes are upheld. The main sub/outcome goals are:1. Increased citizens access to and participation in electoral processes2. Improved transparency in electoral processes3. Strengthened democratic institutions and processes4. Enhanced effectiveness of CSOs’ election related intervensions.