Part IXB (“Election observers”) of the principal Act is amended by the insertion after section 40J of the following section –

“40K Observing of elections by Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission –

( 1) T’he Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, through any of its commissioners or employees accredited under this section, may, observe any election and electoral process in order to ensure respect f or the human rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.

(2) In order to secure the accreditation of any of its commissioners or employees for the purpose of subsection (1), the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission shall notify the Commissioner, in writing, of-

(a) the names and identification particulars of its commissioners or employees whom it wishes to be accredited as observers; and

(b) the election or electoral process which it wishes to observe;

and the Commission shall without delay provide those persons with an accreditation certificate certifying that they’ are accredited by the Commission as observers of the election or electoral process concerned.

(3) For the avoidance of doubt it is declared that commissioners or employees of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission accredited in terms of this section shall be entitled to do all things that persons accredited as observers in terms of this Part may do in terms of this Act,

(4) Before issuing any report on an election or electoral process it has observed in terms of this section. the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission shall provide the Commission with a draft of the report and shall pay due regard to any comments the Commission may make on the draft. “.