HARARE, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The European Union Election Observation Mission said Friday Zimbabwe needs to make great efforts to instill public and political confidence in the July 30 polls.
The polls are the first to be held after the resignation of former president Robert Mugabe in November last year.
Addressing the media at the end of his two-day first visit to Zimbabwe, EU chief observer Elmar Broke said such efforts include transparency and inclusivity, confidence in the integrity of the voters' roll, emphasis on secrecy of the vote and the peaceful conduct of the polls.
"These elections are a critical test of Zimbabwe's reform process. Given the context of past elections, great efforts need to be made to ensure public and political confidence on the 2018 polls," Brok said.
He underscored the need for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to conduct its electoral preparations in a manner that ensures the credibility of the polls.
"The credibility of the electoral process is important for the future reform process of the country and for future relations with the outside world," he said.
The presence of the EU observers, he said, demonstrates the EU's commitment to the conduct of peaceful, inclusive, transparent and credible polls in Zimbabwe.
"The EU wishes to accompany Zimbabwe in its transition to satisfy the legitimate expectations of the Zimbabwean people and stands ready to engage further if the appropriate conditions are met. Elections are, in this regard, an essential step in a long and challenging reform process," Broke said.
The EU deployed 44 long-term observers throughout Zimbabwe on June 23 for the harmonized polls.
The long-term observers were the EU's second contingent to Zimbabwe following the core team consisting of 10 analysts that arrived in Harare on June 6.
It is the first time in 16 years that the EU is observing Zimbabwe's polls at the invitation of the Zimbabwe government.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who took over from Mugabe, will battle it out with 22 other presidential aspirants in the first post-Mugabe polls.
His main challenger, however, is opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa who also took over from veteran opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai who died of cancer in February this year.
