Diplomatic fracas? Mbengegwi and UK Ambassador Deborah Bronnert.

Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mbengegwi has apparently stirred a hornet's nest in the diplomatic circles with his directive that Western countries would not be allowed to monitor Zimbabwe's election later this year.

As Kenyans celebrate what has been a peaceful election, with results transmitted live to the national countring centres and to television and radio stations, and fed to social media simultaneously, all eyes are now on Harare to deliver a similarly transparent performance. Even without results announced contestants have committed to accepting the result.

Eddie Cross says it is high noon on Main Street, Harare where everyone must now focus on what is needed to allow a vote without fear or undue influence, witnessed by the world and African and Global leaders, to endorse the outcome on the basis of reliable and accurate information at their disposal.He writes:

Police handling of Christpowers Maisiri's death continues to come under criticism, this time from a former Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Assistant Commissioner, Jonathan Chawora who has raised professional questions about the seeming haste with which police "concluded" their investigations of Christpowers' death.

In his view it was not polissible, nor was it procedural for the police to conclude to the extent of even giving the cause of death in the sudden-death case, which should instead have been refered to an inquest for the judiciary to conclude after taking into account all possible facts and issues. He writes: