Sanitas International inked an agreement with a South African non-governmental organization June 15 to promote the need for a "peaceful, free and fair election" in neighboring Zimbabwe.

zimbabweThe New York Times reported today that the July 30 tally ranked as "the most pivotal election since Zimbabwe voted out white rule in 1980."

It featured a replay of the 2008 race between 89-year-old president Robert Mugabe, who has been in power for 33 years, and Morgan Tsvangirai, head of the Movement for Democratic Change.

Tsvangirai won the popular vote five years ago, but refused to stand for a run-off after a Mugabe-inspired crackdown led to the deaths of more than 200 of his supporters.

Hired by Johannesburg-based South African Democracy Network, Sanitas provided outreach to "top-tier media," Congress, Obama administration staffers and other key audiences.

It focused on efforts to "communicate current events in Zimbabwe, promote democracy and improve the lives of all Zimbabweans."

Sanitas co-founder Christopher Harvin signed the agreement.

He was a Levick executive, George W. Bush advance man, ex-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld aide and Coalition Provisional Authority (Baghdad) staffer.

Sanitas has worked for Bahrain’s Information Affairs Authority and an Iraqi opposition party lead by former prime minister Norui al-Maliki.