The United States said on Tuesday it was “deeply concerned” by a lack of transparency in preparations for Zimbabwe’s 31 July general elections and called on the government to ensure the vote was peaceful, fair and credible. State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said elections that were not seen as credible would have implications for US sanctions against Zimbabwe, suggesting Washington could maintain or increase sanctions depending on the election outcome. The run-up to the election has been peaceful, but Western critics and the opposition say the process has been poorly planned, underfunded and plagued with irregularities, increasing fears of a repeat of the violence and bloodshed that marred a 2008 vote.
“We are deeply concerned about the lack of transparency in electoral preparations, the continued partisan behaviour by state security institutions and the technical, logistical issues hampering the administration of a credible and transparent election,” Ventrell told a daily briefing.
Ventrell said a troubled election risked undermining political and economic progress Zimbabwe has made since the formation of a unity government after the disputed 2008 vote. He noted that the economy showed signs of recovering from economic mismanagement and hyperinflation.
Full Article: Eyewitness News: US concerned by Zim elections.