SUMMARY STATEMENT OF THE SADC ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION TO THE HARMONISED ELECTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE HELD ON 31 JULY, 2013

1. Close to 600 Observers from SADC member countries monitored the harmonized elections that took place on the 31st of July, 2013. The SADC election monitoring contingent had a huge network that managed to cover the all 210 Constituencies from 15 July to the Election Day. I delivered the preliminary report to government and people of Zimbabwe on 02nd August, 2013 and to the SADC Troika and SADC Summit in Lilongwe on the 17th and 18th August respectively. As you may recall, the main message in the preliminary report was that the elections in Zimbabwe were free and peaceful. However, we had reserved the two issues of "fairness and credibility" deliberately waiting for the compilation of the reports from our Observers in the covered constituencies. Therefore, that is what I am going to do today.