UN endorses election preps in Zimbabwe

The United Nations hailed the Zimbabwean government for its preparations of first presidential and parliamentary elections, which will take place in July.

The local media reports quoted United Nations Development Programme Administrator and UN Development Group Vice-Chair Achim Steiner as saying that the government put in place the appropriate foundation to deliver on President Emmerson Mnangagwa's pledge of free, fair and credible elections.

The UN also pledged continued support to Zimbabwe.

"I wanted to get a sense of whether the preparatory steps that have been taken so far are progressing and are also in line with the President's call for a high litmus test, a high test (election) that not only (and) must be seen by the public and also the international community as free, fair and credible election," said Steiner.

"I want to thank His Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe. I have now completed two days of very intense meetings with leaders in Government and civil society, commissions that have been set up by the Constitution," he added.

On Saturday, President Mnangagwa announced that the polls would be held in July.

The elections will be the first major test of the new leader, who took power in November after a de facto military coup forced the 94-year-old Robert Mugabe to resign.