Zimbabwe Election Support Network
Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) "is a coalition non-governmental organisations formed to co-ordinate activities pertaining to elections. The major focus of the Network is to promote democratic processes in general and free and fair elections in particular." [1]
- "ZESN was formed after a series of meetings that had been initiated by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) which had been co-ordinating the NGO Network on Election Systems in Southern Africa (now SADC Election Support Network), programme of the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA). Organisations that initially came together for this programme were Foundation For Democracy in Zimbabwe (FODEZI), human Rights Trust of Southern Africa (SAHRIT), Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZIMRIGHTS), and ZCC itself in 1998. The Minister of Home Affairs requested assistance from Human Rights Trust of Southern African in rationalisation of the voters' roll. The Trust called for a fora in 1999 with the above mentioned group of NGOs, information technology experts, Electoral Supervisory Commission, and the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), and representatives from the Registrar General' s Office. A collaborative research was done and a report was produced. The Network's activities initiative started from then on." [2]
"Reginald Matchaba Hove, a leading human rights activist in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa, who currently serves as the chairman of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA). Prior to 1999, he was the chairman of Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights).
In 2005, ZESN received US$40,000 from the NED "To train and organize 240 long-term election observers throughout Zimbabwe. ZESN will hold a training-of-trainer workshop for election monitors. The observers will monitor the campaign period and report to the ZESN headquarters. ZESN will produce monthly reports for distribution to the media as well as the national and international community, and will create a database of all election observers in Zimbabwe."
Member of the Africa Democracy Forum.
Board Members
- Reginald Matchaba Hove -Chairperson
- Noel Kututwa -Vice Chairperson- SAHRIT
- Rashweat Mukundu - MISA
- Francis Lovemore - CFU
- Ednah Zinyemba - NCA
- Promise Mkwananzi- ZINASU
- Admire Zaya - ZSCM
- Gabriel Manyangadze -ZCC
- Edna Masiyiwa -WAG
- Dzikamai Machingura- ZIMRIGHTS
- Doreen Nelson -FODEZI
- Alois Chaumba -CCJP
- Sinikiwe Msipa -FAMWZ
- Albert Musarurwa -LFR
- Rindai Chipfunde-Vava -ZESN (Ex-officio)
- Wellington Mbofana -CIVNET
