African Union Closely Monitoring Zimbabwe ElectionsThe African Union (AU) says it will closely monitor Zimbabwe's presidential, parliamentary and local government elections scheduled for July 30. According to the Chinese news agency, Xinhua, the AU said it has already deployed an election observer mission to the southern African nation following an invitation from the Zimbabwean government. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has pledged that Zimbabwe will this year hold free, fair, credible and transparent elections without former strongman Robert Mugabe, who was deposed last year in what some call a hybrid coup. Xinhua reports that last month, the AU sent a five-member independent electoral assistance team to Zimbabwe to provide technical support. According to Xinhua, the 14-member AU election observer mission to Zimbabwe comprises four core team analysts and 10 long-term observers who arrived in the country on July 3 and July 5. The long-term observers will remain in the country until August 15 to assess post-election developments, including result tabulation and dispute resolution.