Advance copies of the report were issued in early July, shortly after the elections which took place on 24-25 June 2000. The Group's mandate was to observe the pre-election and election period in order to determine the factors impinging on the credibility of the electoral process as a whole, and to determine whether conditions existed for voters to make a free choice and whether the results reflected the wishes of the people. The report observed that though there were serious shortcomings in the process, there were some positive factors too. The Group expressed the view that democracy in Zimbabwe had taken a major step forward, with a process which had enabled parties and individuals of differing political persuasion to be elected to the legislature, one of the fundamental pillars of government. It commended the people of Zimbabwe for turning out in large numbers to vote on the elections days.
All parties share responsibility.
There were incidents where the opposition parties carried out acts of violence. It places the elections in context by dedicating a chapter to the legal framework and preparations for the elections, which examines inter alia voter registration, the nomination process and the accreditation of international and local election observers. This news service is delivered by the Information and Public Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, and may not necessarily reflect the views of the Commonwealth Secretariat. If you print, copy, archive or re-post these items, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Re-posting on commercial sites requires written permission from the Commonwealth Secretariat.