Zimbabwe bars election monitors

Nuns in Harare have prayed for peace as the tension continues

The Zimbabwean government has confirmed that hundreds of election monitors are being denied accreditation for this weekend's general elections because they work for organisations rather than governments.

It means that up to 200 of the total of 500 potential observers will be prevented from witnessing the voting at polling stations across the country.

The announcement came as an American observer group pulled out of Zimbabwe after describing the poll as the worst it had ever seen.

The process is so flawed that it cannot adequately reflect the will of the people. Those responsible for elections in Zimbabwe have failed their country

International Republican Institute

The poll takes place on 24-25 June, and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change has complained of repeated violence and intimidation by President Mugabe's Zanu-PF party.

Zimbabwe announced the rejection of all monitors from non-governmental organisations without saying why the decision had been taken.

The group which pulled out, the International Republican Institute (IRI) said the process was too flawed to have any hope of representing a democratic outcome.

Officials from the IRI said citizens wanting to vote would have to "brave intimidation."

Some observers say the election is the worst they have seen

"The process is so flawed that it cannot adequately reflect the will of the people," the group said in a statement.

"If Zimbabwe's election process were open and transparent, the government wouldn't fear election observers."

The statement concluded: "Those responsible for elections in Zimbabwe have failed their country."

The institute has observed about 90 elections in 40 different countries, but has not received accreditation for Zimbabwe despite repeated requests.

"We have been withdrawn. We are going home. If there was a plane to Timbuktu this evening, we would have been put on it," said Martin Shikuku, an IRI observer and former Kenyan MP.

Criticism

The Zimbabwean government has also withheld accreditation from another US-based group, the National Democratic Institute, which added its voice to the criticism.

Intimidation is widespread and not just limited to ruling party supporters

"With just four days remaining before voting begins, the conditions for credible democratic elections still do not exist in Zimbabwe," said spokesman Patrick Merloe.

Other groups prevented from observing the poll include the World Council of Churches, the International Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, and the Network of Independent Monitors.

Three-hundred observers from the Commonwealth, the Organisation of African Unity, South Africa, Japan, Australia and Canada have been approved.

There are nearly 5,000 polling stations across the country and even 1,000 foreign observers would have been inadequate

Opposition spokesman David Coltart

But 10 Kenyan and seven Nigerian members of the 91-strong European Union mission were refused accreditation on Monday because their countries were not members of the EU.

The Zimbabwe opposition says the lack of accreditation has added to its concerns over the election.

"It's a matter of deep concern to us," said MDC legal secretary David Coltart.

"There are nearly 5,000 polling stations across the country and even 1,000 foreign observers would have been inadequate."

The US government has said it is still pushing Zimbabwe to accredit foreign organisations, and not just government teams.

The violence during election campaigning has left around 30 people, dead, most of them MDC supporters.

But correspondents say the campaign of intimidation against the opposition appears to be backfiring, angering many potential Zanu-PF supporters.