Zimbabwe’s Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, recently commented on the final report of the SADC Election Observer Mission. He stated that the report would be tabled for consideration at the next SADC summit in Harare next year.
Zimbabwe would selectively adopt the recommendations that it deems relevant to its unique circumstances and reject those that are not applicable. Minister Ziyambi emphasized the importance of following legal processes to resolve any electoral disputes, as highlighted in the SADC report.
Minister Ziyambi also mentioned that Zimbabwe welcomes international observers during elections and values their reports and recommendations. These observations serve as a peer review process to help the country improve its own electoral systems. He acknowledged that while most observer missions praised the organization and peaceful environment of the August general elections, the SADC and European Union missions deviated from their mandates by critiquing local laws passed by the Zimbabwean Parliament.
Investigations conducted by The Herald revealed a prearrangement between the EU and the SADC Election Observer Mission chair, Dr. Nevers Mumba, to produce an adverse report in the event of opposition leader Mr. Nelson Chamisa’s loss in the elections. Analysts suggest that the motive behind this was to prompt SADC’s condemnation of Zimbabwe. They believe that there are Western attempts to remove former liberation movements from power, with Zimbabwe serving as a test case for potential actions in Mozambique, South Africa, and Namibia.
Mozambique recently held municipal elections, resulting in a resounding victory for the ruling Liberation Front of Mozambique (Frelimo), except for one municipality where the opposition Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM) maintained its majority. The Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo), the biggest loser, has alleged vote rigging and called for protests.
Looking ahead, South Africa will hold general elections next year to elect a new National Assembly and provincial legislatures. Western interests hope to see their preferred candidates succeed and remove the African National Congress (ANC) led by President Cyril Ramaphosa from power. Similarly, Namibia will hold general elections next year, with Western forces determined to challenge the ruling SWAPO party.
