Northern Ireland solicitor will observe and report on the forthcoming elections in Zimbabwe

Brian Speers, who is the managing partner in Belfast firm CMG Cunningham Dickey, will join his distinguished colleagues in the Commonwealth Observer Group who are tasked to observe the elections on August 23 and to report to the Commonwealth Secretariat.Mr Speers who has extensive international legal experience is the immediate past President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) – a position he held for four years.Commenting Mr Speers said: "I am deeply honoured to have been asked to participate in the Commonwealth Observer Group and to help observe the Zimbabwe Harmonised Elections in August.”

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has approved 11 candidates.

The front runners are incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa, from the governing Zanu-PF party and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, from the Citizen's Coalition for Change (CCC).