Southern Africa: SADC Cautions Zim Against Reckless Attacks - Says Observer Mission Report a Regionally Agreed Dossier

New Zimbabwe
Crowds gather to cast their votes in Zimbabwe's general elections.
27 August 2023
New Zimbabwe (London)
By Alois Vinga

THE Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has condemned attacks by the Zanu PF party officials on its Elections Observer Mission following the publishing of a damning report which denounced the polls.

Sharing the preliminary report on the general elections, SADC's mission chairperson from neighbouring Zambia, Nevers Mumba, said they noted that some aspects of the elections fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC guidelines.

Mumba singled out the dreaded Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ) in intimidating voters.

However, ruling party officials Christopher Mutsvangwa and Ziyambi Ziyambi condemned the findings describing the report as biased.

Others accused Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema of working in cahoots with the country's enemies to prop up the opposition.

But in a statement, SADC dismissed the backlash, maintaining instead that the preliminary report was a product of comprehensive consultations across the region.

The SADC Secretariat said it noted with deep concern, statements made about the SEOM and the personal attacks directed at the Head of the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM), Dr Nevers Mumba, the former Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, since the SEOM released its Preliminary Statement on 25 August 2023.

"Some of these statements and attacks which have been aired on television, social media, and newspapers are crude, scurrilous and misleading,

"The SEOM statement is a summary of initial findings adopted after consultations with Member States who form the SADC Organ Troika, supported by advice from the SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC), and with support from the SADC Secretariat.

"Therefore, the SEOM Preliminary Statement is a collective observation position of SADC Observers, Troika Members, SEAC, and the SADC Secretariat and not a subjective opinion of one individual," said the regional organ.

SADC said the SEOM remains on the ground to observe the post-election environment and to prepare and adopt a final report on the electoral process in Zimbabwe, still following the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.

"The SADC also calls upon all to exercise responsibility and decorum in how they express opinions regarding the electoral process and the SEOM in general," added SADC.

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