The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria (the Centre), in collaboration with Misa Zimbabwe will host a webinar to launch the Zimbabwe Elections Report titled “Proactive Disclosure of Information During Elections: An Evaluation of Zimbabwe’s Compliance with the Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa During the Harmonised Elections of 23 August 2023.” This webinar will convene voices from academia, civil society, media, youth formations and public institutions to interrogate the extent to which Zimbabwe’s electoral stakeholders complied with the Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa, adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in 2017.
Event Details
Date: 12 march 2026
Time: 11:00 - 13:00 (SAST)
Venue: Virtual (Zoom)
Register on Zoom Download Programme
Drawing on qualitative research methods, including document analysis and stakeholder interviews conducted between July and October 2023, the report assesses compliance using four qualitative indicators: total compliance, substantial compliance, partial compliance and non-compliance. The findings demonstrate notable gaps in proactive disclosure across key institutions involved in Zimbabwe’s 2023 harmonised elections.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), while utilising traditional and digital platforms to provide updates, failed to proactively publish a user-friendly and verifiable voters’ roll and did not make public its meeting minutes or internal voting records. Communication regarding preparedness, operational challenges, and remedial measures lacked clarity and consistency.
Despite section 160(G) of the Electoral Act guaranteeing equitable access to public broadcasting for contesting political parties, stakeholder interviews indicated significant imbalances in media coverage. The state broadcaster, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), disproportionately covered ruling party events, while opposition activities received limited exposure.
Digital and social media platforms played a central role in campaigning and voter engagement. However, their use also amplified misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech, particularly on WhatsApp, X, Facebook, and TikTok. Instances included the circulation of misleading election-day flyers attributed to the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), as well as coordinated online harassment campaigns led by ruling party-aligned cyber groups, including gendered disinformation targeting female journalists and candidates.
The report concludes with targeted recommendations to Parliament, the electoral management body, appointing authorities, law enforcement agencies, political parties, media and regulatory bodies, observers, and civil society organisations. It also urges compliance with the Principles and Guidelines for the Use of Digital and Social Media in Elections in Africa.
Through dialogue and evidence-based engagement, the event will promote accountability, transparency, and responsible information governance in electoral contexts, while advancing the protection of human rights and democratic integrity in the digital age.
Background
Access to information is a foundational component of democratic governance and a prerequisite for credible elections. In the African context, the Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa articulate clear standards for proactive disclosure, equitable media access, transparency in electoral administration and protection against information manipulation.
The rapid digitisation of political communication has transformed electoral processes. Social media platforms have expanded civic participation and political mobilisation, but they have also intensified the risks of coordinated disinformation, online harassment, hate speech and algorithmic amplification of polarising narratives. In fragile or highly contested electoral environments, information disorder can undermine public trust, fuel political tensions and threaten peace.
Zimbabwe’s 23 August 2023 harmonised elections took place in this complex digital and political ecosystem. Questions regarding transparency, equitable media access, and online information integrity were central to domestic and international assessments of the electoral process.
This webinar situates the Zimbabwe report within broader continental debates on digital governance, electoral integrity, and the evolving responsibilities of state and non-state actors. It provides an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned and to strengthen normative frameworks for future electoral cycles across Africa.
Objectives
The webinar aims to:
- Launch and disseminate the Zimbabwe Elections Report to a regional and international audience;
- Critically assess compliance with the Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa during Zimbabwe’s 2023 harmonised elections;
- Examine the role of digital and social media in shaping electoral information ecosystems;
- Identify institutional, legal and policy reforms required to enhance proactive disclosure and transparency;
- Strengthen collaboration among electoral stakeholders, civil society, academia and media actors to safeguard information integrity and democratic participation.
Themes
Discussions during the webinar will be centred on themes such as:
- Proactive disclosure and transparency by electoral management bodies;
- Equitable access to public broadcasting and media regulation during elections;
- Digital platforms, misinformation, and disinformation in electoral contexts;
- Gendered disinformation and online violence against women in politics and journalism;
- Law enforcement, accountability, and protection of civic space;
- Operationalising continental standards:
- Implementing the Principles and Guidelines for the Use of Digital and Social Media in Elections in Africa.
Outputs
- Official public launch of the Zimbabwe Elections Report;
- A policy brief summarising key findings and recommendations;
- A webinar communiqué highlighting priority actions for electoral stakeholders;
- Strengthened regional networks on information integrity and electoral governance.
Expected outcomes
The webinar is expected to:
- Increase awareness of continental standards on access to information and elections;
- Foster informed, evidence-based dialogue on electoral transparency and digital governance;
- Encourage concrete commitments by stakeholders to improve proactive disclosure practices;
- Contribute to strengthening electoral integrity and the protection of human rights in digitally mediated political environments;
- Support the development of practical strategies to mitigate misinformation, disinformation, and online hate speech in future elections.
Contact persons:
Belinda Matore
Centre for Human Rights
University of Pretoria
br.matore@up.ac.za
Ivy Gikonyo
Centre for Human Rights
University of Pretoria
ivy.gikonyo@up.ac.za
