News / National
Sadc poll observer mission launched
15 Jul 2013 at 20:45hrs | Views
THE SADC Election Observer team Monday launched its mission in Harare with Chairperson Mr Bernard Membe imploring Zimbabweans to hold the harmonised elections in a peaceful manner.
Mr Membe spoke as the European Union announced it was hinging its sanctions regime on the Sadc Election Observer Mission's verdict on the harmonised elections, a development analysts rapped as an attempt by the EU to give the sanctions regime an African face.
The MDC-T and its western handlers, analysts said, had since shifted from a campaign to win elections to one of discrediting the vote which several recent surveys indicated would not be in their favour.
The MDC formations have since made a litany of complaints from voter registration, the election date, special voting and media and security sector reforms which observers are part of a cache of self-fulfilling prophecies designed to reject defeat.
EU ambassador to South Africa, Mr Roeland van de Geer on Friday said the fate of the sanctions regime would be determined by the SEOM report.
It has since emerged that the MDC has written to the African Union calling for a Summit on Zimbabwe.
The AU has, however, since announced that it was not proper for anyone to second guess judicial decisions of member states and will deploy a 60-member team to Zimbabwe 10 days before polling day.
Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo would lead the team, drawn from African NGOs and member countries.
The team is expected to work with the nine member advance team of observers already in the country.
Addressing journalists, diplomats and senior Government officials last night, Mr Membe, who is also Tanzania's Foreign Affairs Minister, said Sadc had no problems in endorsing the polls if people vote in a peaceful manner.
He said the peaceful environment that prevailed during the referendum in March should be repeated in the forthcoming harmonised polls.
"The world is watching you. You should demonstrate to the world that you are conducting the elections in a free, fair and credible atmosphere. We are there to learn. The world will watch to learn and not only to advise," said Mr Membe who was representing the chairperson of Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.
Mr Membe said election-related disputes should be raised before polls and not after elections have been concluded.
"There is need for discipline. It's a period that all of us must come together to resolve our issues now not after election. If there are problems, observers are there, ZEC is there, party leaders are there," said Mr Membe.
"Zimbabwe has a big name, don't let yourself down."
Mr Membe said the regional bloc would deploy about 442 observers in all the 10 provinces.
Sadc executive secretary, Dr Tomaz Augusto Salamao commended Zimbabwean political parties to the Global Political Agreement for their efforts in implement the agreement.
"The holding of the 2013 harmonised elections in Zimbabwe marks a new era towards achieving lasting peace and stability in the country, thus creating an enabling environment for economic growth and sustainable development," he said.
He said Sadc placed great importance to the elections since they were a result of consolidation of democracy in the country.
"Sadc is here to reiterate its solidarity and render support to the ongoing democratic process in Zimbabwe," he said.
Meanwhile, analysts yesterday said the court application by the MDC-T seeking nullification of the special vote was an indication that the party was sensing defeat.
MDC-T deputy national chairman Morgan Komichi made the application arguing that the number of police officers who applied to vote does not tally with the actual police establishment.
Judge President Justice George Chiweshe is expected to hear the matter tomorrow.
"We are not surprised by this application because it is an action of a political party that is smelling defeat," said Mr Gabriel Chaibva.
"These are frivolous applications coming in the dying minutes of the game. It is stipulated in the Constitution that law enforcement agents have a right to vote and they should exercise that right."
Mr Chaibva added: "As for approaching the AU, it means the party does not understand what diplomatic language is. The party is being exposed as a puppet of the West."
University of Zimbabwe lecturer Dr Charity Manyeruke said the MDC-T was wasting people's time through the court applications.
"Zimbabweans are tired of this and what they want is an election," she said.
"They allowed the Nomination Court to sit. They have candidates and have been holding star rallies and today they want the election to be stopped. This is total waste of time and people are losing patience with them."
Mr Membe spoke as the European Union announced it was hinging its sanctions regime on the Sadc Election Observer Mission's verdict on the harmonised elections, a development analysts rapped as an attempt by the EU to give the sanctions regime an African face.
The MDC-T and its western handlers, analysts said, had since shifted from a campaign to win elections to one of discrediting the vote which several recent surveys indicated would not be in their favour.
The MDC formations have since made a litany of complaints from voter registration, the election date, special voting and media and security sector reforms which observers are part of a cache of self-fulfilling prophecies designed to reject defeat.
EU ambassador to South Africa, Mr Roeland van de Geer on Friday said the fate of the sanctions regime would be determined by the SEOM report.
It has since emerged that the MDC has written to the African Union calling for a Summit on Zimbabwe.
The AU has, however, since announced that it was not proper for anyone to second guess judicial decisions of member states and will deploy a 60-member team to Zimbabwe 10 days before polling day.
Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo would lead the team, drawn from African NGOs and member countries.
The team is expected to work with the nine member advance team of observers already in the country.
Addressing journalists, diplomats and senior Government officials last night, Mr Membe, who is also Tanzania's Foreign Affairs Minister, said Sadc had no problems in endorsing the polls if people vote in a peaceful manner.
He said the peaceful environment that prevailed during the referendum in March should be repeated in the forthcoming harmonised polls.
"The world is watching you. You should demonstrate to the world that you are conducting the elections in a free, fair and credible atmosphere. We are there to learn. The world will watch to learn and not only to advise," said Mr Membe who was representing the chairperson of Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.
Mr Membe said election-related disputes should be raised before polls and not after elections have been concluded.
"There is need for discipline. It's a period that all of us must come together to resolve our issues now not after election. If there are problems, observers are there, ZEC is there, party leaders are there," said Mr Membe.
"Zimbabwe has a big name, don't let yourself down."
Mr Membe said the regional bloc would deploy about 442 observers in all the 10 provinces.
Sadc executive secretary, Dr Tomaz Augusto Salamao commended Zimbabwean political parties to the Global Political Agreement for their efforts in implement the agreement.
"The holding of the 2013 harmonised elections in Zimbabwe marks a new era towards achieving lasting peace and stability in the country, thus creating an enabling environment for economic growth and sustainable development," he said.
He said Sadc placed great importance to the elections since they were a result of consolidation of democracy in the country.
"Sadc is here to reiterate its solidarity and render support to the ongoing democratic process in Zimbabwe," he said.
Meanwhile, analysts yesterday said the court application by the MDC-T seeking nullification of the special vote was an indication that the party was sensing defeat.
MDC-T deputy national chairman Morgan Komichi made the application arguing that the number of police officers who applied to vote does not tally with the actual police establishment.
Judge President Justice George Chiweshe is expected to hear the matter tomorrow.
"We are not surprised by this application because it is an action of a political party that is smelling defeat," said Mr Gabriel Chaibva.
"These are frivolous applications coming in the dying minutes of the game. It is stipulated in the Constitution that law enforcement agents have a right to vote and they should exercise that right."
Mr Chaibva added: "As for approaching the AU, it means the party does not understand what diplomatic language is. The party is being exposed as a puppet of the West."
University of Zimbabwe lecturer Dr Charity Manyeruke said the MDC-T was wasting people's time through the court applications.
"Zimbabweans are tired of this and what they want is an election," she said.
"They allowed the Nomination Court to sit. They have candidates and have been holding star rallies and today they want the election to be stopped. This is total waste of time and people are losing patience with them."
Source - Herald
