The SADC Election Observer Mission has maintained their initial view that things didn’t go smoothly based on a final report weeks later.
This contradicted attempts by Zimbabwe’s government to discredit the mission and its leader, Nevers Mumba. It seems their efforts to change the narrative fell flat. Before the final report even dropped, Zambian President Hichilema – who’s chairing SADC on politics currently – voiced concern about undermining the observer group.
Not surprisingly, the main opposition CCC party agrees with SADC’s assessment. They say the findings back their demand for a redo of the election. Nelson Chamisa dismissed the August 23 election results as a ‘gigantic fraud’. He thinks a transitional governing body overseen by SADC should handle things first to ensure a level playing field. The party doesn’t think the current election commission can be trusted to run another vote.
But former cabinet minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo, doesn’t think the report supports demands like declaring the results void or setting up a national unity administration. He suggests the conclusions won’t aid efforts to push those ideas or secure an emergency SADC summit.
“The final conclusion of the report will undoubtedly disappoint those who have been falsifying its conclusion and banking on using or even abusing it to push for ‘fresh elections’ or for a National Transitional Authority or for an extraordinary SADC Summit.
“Nothing of the sort emerges from the final report,” Moyo posted on X.
Adding another twist, Zimbabwe’s information minister claimed the president is willing to chat with CCC leader Nelson Chamisa.
“Chamisa was offered a platform for dialogue, an open engagement between President Mnangagwa and Chamisa with all the Zimbabwean people,” he said.
Only time will tell if dialogue materializes between them to resolve issues or if political tensions continue rising instead.
