Overview of the 20 Electoral Reform Principles for a Free, Fair and Credible
Election outcome in Zimbabwe

The MDC has identified key principles for electoral reform which should be incorporated into the Alternative Electoral Bill to ensure its effectiveness in delivering a credible election.

Below are the major highlights of the key principles:

1. The Supremacy of the Constitution must be the guiding principle
   in ensuring regular, free, fair and credible Democratic Elections
   depicting separation of powers of the Executive, Judiciary and
   Legislature;
2. An Independent Expert-Based EMB appointed through an open
   and inclusive Parliamentary driven process;
3. Strengthening the Independence of ZEC that is accountable to Parliament characterised by operational and administrative autonomy in the promulgation and operationalisation of electoral laws and the management of its internal affairs;
4. Transparency and accountability of ZEC in the implementation of all electoral processes and the Institutionalisation of permanent Stakeholder Consultative Platforms;
5. Strengthening the principle of Universal odult suffrage and its applicability to all eligible citizens regordless of residence status (Diasporas), physical infirmity, age and, or imprisonment;

6. A fair, transparent and inclusive delimitation process devoid of
political interference and biased persuasions, conducted by a
professional and impartial body with a clearly defined operational
framework;

7. A liberalised, comprehensive, inclusive and continuous voter
education partnership between ZEC, Political Parties, CSOS and
other relevant stakeholders;

8. Voter registration should be characterised by bare minimum
principles of continuity, trust, inclusivity, accuracy, transparency
and automatic registration of first-time voters.

9. An independently auditable Voters Roll that is accurate, verifiable
and readily accessible to all electoral stakeholders in a format
that allows for electoral planning and analysis;

10.A free, fair and even Electoral environment with enforceable
Codes of Conduct, upholding the Citizens’ fundamental Freedoms
and human rights;

11. Gender inclusive electoral processes with increased youth and
women participation and representation;

12. Free Observer Accreditation undertaken by an independent
panel chaired by the EMB, and ensuring full throttle observation
of components of the electoral cycle;

13. Adjudication of Election disputes in a fair and timeous manner,
and strengthening the Complainants right to be heard and to an
appropriate legal remedy;

14.Professional, Impartial and publicly scrutinised Election officials
with no traceable membership to any political party, nor linkage
to any security sector institution;

15.Transparency and auditability of ZEC Procurement systems,
Design, Reproduction, Custody and Distribution of all sensitive
election material;
16. Fairness, Transparency and accessibility in the allocation of Polling Stations, permanently gazetted by law, within a specific radius and reach to the elderly and other voters with physical mobility challenges;

17: Special Voting processes should be transparent, guarantee Universal Suffrage, and must protect the secrecy of the vote of all eligible voters unable to access their polling stations on the day of voting

18: Assisted voting may be sought on account of people with disability, illiteracy and physical infirmities, and must be endorsed on the Voters’ roll and the list availed to Candidates, Polling Agents and Observers to allow for scrutiny;

19.An effective and reliable voter verification system that eliminates electoral fraud, multiple voting, and voter impersonification;

20: A Common, Inclusive, transparent, traceable, and auditable Real-time Results Management and Transmission system of all the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Authority election results.