IN a recent interview with VOA Zimbabwe Service’s Blessing Zulu, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee, raised apprehensions about the credibility of Zimbabwe’s forthcoming general elections scheduled for August 23. Phee pointed out that the prevailing conditions on the ground indicate that a free and fair election in the southern African nation is in doubt due to laws that impede civic space.
During the interview, Phee expressed her concerns, stating, ‘We’ve seen opposition political parties and citizens actively harassed and prevented from exercising their political freedoms, that should be guaranteed by those regimes under the Zimbabwean constitution and as expressed by the African Union and the United Nations. So, that’s why we’re concerned that the election won’t achieve the standard highlighted by the president.’
The US official referenced the recently enacted Patriotic Act as a major contributor to the restrictions on basic political freedoms in Zimbabwe. The legislation imposes limitations on freedom of assembly, speech, and expression for citizens, political parties, and journalists. Phee stressed that these actions are against the principles agreed upon in Zimbabwe’s constitution and African Union and United Nations protocols.
Responding to allegations of a similar US law penalising treasonous acts, Phee clarified, ‘We do have legislation that shares the same name, but the content of the law is very different… We take very seriously the freedoms of assembly and expression. We have institutions that primarily include our judiciary and congressional investigative action to check on our own election activities.’
Addressing the communication between Harare and Washington regarding these concerns, Phee affirmed that the US has conveyed its worries to the Zimbabwean government both in private discussions and publicly. She welcomed the invitation from the government to have observers for the election and confirmed that the US will deploy an observer team to monitor the process, along with other international observers such as the Carter Centre, the European Union, and the African Union.
Highlighting the importance of free and fair elections, Phee emphasised, ‘In our experience in the United States and in our assessment of global experience, the best path for peace and prosperity is through a democratic system that respects all communities in a country… When you have political stability that results from a system such as I’ve described, then you have an opportunity to have good economic growth.’
Touching on the issue of political violence, Phee firmly opposed such actions, asserting that violence and intimidation hinder the functioning of a healthy democracy. She urged the Zimbabwean government to translate President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s calls for peace and nonviolence into effective action to ensure a truly free and fair election.
As Zimbabwe prepares for the crucial general elections, international attention remains focused on the unfolding developments and the efforts to uphold democratic principles in the nation.