The European Union (EU) has announced its decision to suspend its 5 million USD financial support for the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission (ZEC) thereby courting different reactions from Zimbabweans.
This move comes in response to concerns raised by international Electoral Observation Missions (EOMs) regarding the independence and transparency of ZEC during the 2023 harmonized elections.
“The European Union (EU) has formally communicated its intention to suspend its 5 million USD financial support for the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission (ZEC) to both the Ministry of Finance and Investment Promotion and ZEC.
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The project supporting ZEC, which is managed by UNDP and scheduled to run until December 2024, is currently under scrutiny due to concerns raised by several international Electoral Observation Missions (EOMs) regarding the independence and transparency of ZEC during the 2023 harmonised elections…” Part of the statement read.
Some Zimbabweans are happy, however, that a foreign entity should not be funding the electoral processes of another country as this takes away its independence.
Former cabinet Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo said that it is unacceptable for ZEC to have been taking the money in the first place.
IT’S WRONG FOR ZEC TO ACCEPT ANY FOREIGN FUNDING, FISCUS MUST FUND ALL INDEPENDENT CONSTITUTIONAL BODIES
The EU’s notification of its suspension of support for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission [ZEC] is an unacceptable use of donor funds to seek to influence and control an independent chapter 12 constitutional body, and it is the clearest ugly example why such bodies must not accept any foreign funding; but must be wholly and adequately funded by the fiscus.
Denis posted:
We never had relations with the EU for the past 23 years. Elections will be held in 2023 without the EU ,even observing the elections. Zimbabwe never asked them money for elections. It is them who tried to fund polling agents and Gvt said no. Its their lose.
Hon l. Ndudzo@Vandudzo80
Elections of a sovereign Republic are exclusively an internal national process that should not be subject to the purse of an external entity. He who pays the piper calls the tune.
The Global 202@theglobal202
EU’s $5M funding withdrawal from ZEC raises major donor confidence issues. EU acts as a derisking donor, pivotal for pooling other contributions to fund its tasks.
ZEC faces uncertainty, impacting transparency and independence concerns.
