The first large-scale election observation was of Zimbabwe’s 1980
independence elections. Since then, election observation has become a regular
worldwide feature and many international organisations, official agencies,
and non-governmental organisations field observation teams. They all use
similar methodologies, largely derived from the original 1980 model. A third
of a century later, it may be time to consider whether the use of electoral
observation has outlived its usefulness – or is itself being used to mask forms
of electoral cheating. This paper considers five 21st century African elections
– in Kenya (2007), Zimbabwe (2008, 2013 and 2018) and Zambia (2016),
through the reflections of a pioneer of the 1980s observation prototype.