Zimbabwe sets ministerial taskforce to look into political and electoral reforms

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has set up an inter-ministerial taskforce to accelerate political, electoral and legislative reforms to deepen Zimbabwe’s democratic processes as well as the ease of doing business.

The taskforce will be chaired by Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo as his deputy.

Other ministers in the taskforce are Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, Home Affairs Minister Cain Mathema, Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu, State Security Minister Owen Ncube and Attorney-General Prince Machaya.

The taskforce will also address issues raised in the reports of observer missions to the 2018 harmonised elections as well as the findings of the Motlanthe Commission of Enquiry into the 1 August post-election violence.

Ziyambi said Zimbabwe took the recommendations made by observer missions seriously because observers acted as a form of quality assurance.

“We acknowledge and appreciate all positive feedback. Fair criticism and suggested areas of improvement are taken seriously because they can only make us a better democracy,” he said.

The European Union and the United States recently renewed their sanctions on Zimbabwe citing lack of progress in implementing necessary democratic reforms.

Some observers, however, say the sanctions have nothing to do with democracy or human rights but are meant to force Zimbabwe to toe the line.

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