African Union observer team to be in Zimbabwe until 15 August

An African Union team that is observing the elections in Zimbabwe due on 30 July will be in the country until 15 August to assess post-election developments including result tabulation and announcement as well dispute resolution.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said it will announce the presidential winner on 4 August.

The AU sent a 14-member team comprising four core team members and 10 long-term observers (LTOs). The core team arrived in Zimbabwe on 3 July while the long term observers arrived two days later.

The continental body said the long-term observers will remain in the country until 15 August and will meet regularly with government officials, representatives of the electoral commission, political parties, civil society organisations and citizen election observers.

It will assess electoral preparations and pre-election environment, including election administration, campaigning, voter education and other issues.

The core team will focus their analyses on the political, electoral, legal, media and gender issues related to the electoral process, while the LTOs will observe the process at regional levels in all the 10 provinces in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe has opened its elections to international, continental, regional and local observers.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said it had registered more than 800 observers for the coming poll.

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