President Mnangagwa is living true to his pledge to hold
free, fair and credible polls with his administration opening unrestricted
access for election observer teams.
The Sadc team arrived on Wednesday for a week-long
pre-election assessment mission, and will meet officials from Government, the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, political parties and civil society.
The mission, which is in line with the Sadc Principles and
Guidelines Governing Conduct of Democratic Elections, will apprise the regional
body of Zimbabwe’s plan for a credible poll.
Speaking after paying a courtesy call on Zanu PF Secretary
General Dr Obert Mpofu in Harare yesterday, SADC observer mission team leader
and former Zambian Vice President Dr Nevers Mumba expressed satisfaction with
the peaceful environment in the country.
“The meeting was extremely encouraging and they have made a
commitment to attend to issues that matter to all of us, to the Zimbabwean
people, to ensure that we work together to maintain the peaceful environment
during this process.
“There is a need to ensure that we all continue to adhere
to the regulations that guide elections in order to have an outcome that is
sustainable and acceptable to all Zimbabweans and to all those that are
interested like the Sadc region.
“Whatever happens in Zimbabwe affects us in the Sadc region
and that is why you see us so much involved to ensure that in one way or the
other, we assist the brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe to realise a dream of
free, fair and credible elections,” said Dr Mumba. The Sadc election observer team will engage
all the stakeholders involved in the election process.
“The role of Sadc election observers is to ensure that we
engage all the stakeholders, in this case the candidates that are standing in
the elections and the political parties that are participating.
“We had the honour to meet the Secretary General of Zanu PF
together with his team. We held productive discussions listening to the plans
they have for the elections.
“We also heard some of the concerns they have and how we
can best work together as observers and participants,” said Dr Mumba.
Observers from the European Union (EU), who arrived last
month, are already on the ground.
Zimbabweans will go to the polls to elect the President,
parliamentarians and local government councillors next Wednesday.
Dr Mpofu said the Sadc team wanted certain assurances
regarding the elections and the electoral processes that were taking place.
“They raised quite a number of issues which relate to the
general conduct of the elections; whether players are being allowed to campaign
freely, whether Zanu PF is satisfied with the ZEC participation and involvement
in the coming elections.
“They wanted to hear our side in terms of our readiness and
preparedness that is before, during and after elections,” said Dr Mpofu.
Later in the day, Dr Mpofu held a meeting with
representatives from former liberation movements who are mostly the governing
political parties in the Sadc region.
They include the African National Congress (ANC) of South
Africa, SWAPO of Namibia, Frelimo of Mozambique, Malawi Congress Party, Chama
Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania and MPLA of Angola.
“We were sharing some perspectives on the ongoing
preparations for our coming elections. We were discussing regional issues, the
need to continue collaborating on issues that affect us.
“Their assignment is to observe our elections. We are quite
grateful that they have managed to come,” Dr Mpofu said.
ANC representative Ms Lindiwe Zulu expressed satisfaction
with the development trajectory which the New Dispensation was pursuing.
“From the last time I was here, there is so much progress
taking place. I was very impressed when I got to the Robert Gabriel
International Airport to see that the airport was expanded.
“I was happy with the infrastructure development in
comparison to the time I was last here. This is also the report that we need to
give back to our political parties beyond monitoring the elections.
“We need to be united in addressing the challenges that are
faced by our economies and our people,” she said.
Frelimo representative Cde Jamisse Taimo said sister
revolutionary parties should fight against neo-colonialism.
“We need share ideas and support our comrades. We are
together,” he said.
SWAPO said it was in the country to observe elections at
the invitation of Zanu PF adding that there was a need to support each other as
revolutionary parties.
Malawi Congress Party representative Cde Elias Chakwera
said: “We are here to learn and share ideas and observe elections.” Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment