News / Local
Conflicted Zimbabwe poll observers outed
16 Aug 2023 at 01:37hrs | Views
DISGUISED as election observers pro-opposition activists are grossly interfering in the country's electoral processes making outlandish claims that seek to sully the whole process.
This comes as President Mnangagwa has opened the doors for observers from across the world to come and witness democracy in motion ahead of next week's harmonized elections on August 23.
However, that goodwill and transparency is seemingly being abused by organisations such as the Ellen Sirleaf Johnson Presidential Centre for Women and Development which has made bizarre and unfounded claims of violence.
What is of interest though is the ESJPCWD, which is led by former Liberian president Ms Johnson, has also within its ranks the spokesperson of CCC Advocate Fadzayi Mahere, a status that some observers say makes the organisation unfit to make pronouncements on the electoral environment.
Advocate Mahere is an active member of Ms Johnson-led Amujae Initiative having been appointed on 12, 2022.
In a tweet, the organisation, which is sponsored by the United States, referred to Advocate Mahere as an "inspiring changemaker"
"Her tireless advocacy for #equity & #justice in #Zimbabwe is a hallmark of her journey as a #Woman Leader in #A…"
"Now, she is recognized as one of Africa's most promising young politicians. Despite facing many barriers, she is using digital communication and social media to continue to fight for the protection of human rights in her home country of Zimbabwe," it said.
This is however a familiar script as a string of so-called observers notably the Carter Centre have been on a mission to discredit the country's polls by concocting falsehoods.
Some of the observers are openly working with CCC and even addressing rallies as was the case last week when one Sicelo Mngomezulu, a member of a Southern African nongovernmental organisation (NGO), who is in the country as an election observer attended the funeral of a CCC activist who died recently and accused Zanu-PF of killing the activist even when investigations are ongoing.
"Today, in Harare we joined the presidential Candidate in the upcoming Zim Elections, Adv. Nelson Chamisa, at the funeral of one of his party's members who was killed by Zanu-PF supporters during an election campaign a few days ago," he wrote on Facebook.
Other so-called observers also attended and addressed CCC rallies in Mutare and on Tuesday night in Bulawayo.
A known member of the opposition in Eswatini Mulungi Makanya is also in the country, and like most of the observers ostensibly for that purpose but really to work with the opposition and effect a change of regime by clandestine means. Most of the groups are under the Southern Defenders headed by Mr Katema Katema, a group that has caused mayhem in Lesotho and Swaziland as well.
This comes as President Mnangagwa has opened the doors for observers from across the world to come and witness democracy in motion ahead of next week's harmonized elections on August 23.
However, that goodwill and transparency is seemingly being abused by organisations such as the Ellen Sirleaf Johnson Presidential Centre for Women and Development which has made bizarre and unfounded claims of violence.
What is of interest though is the ESJPCWD, which is led by former Liberian president Ms Johnson, has also within its ranks the spokesperson of CCC Advocate Fadzayi Mahere, a status that some observers say makes the organisation unfit to make pronouncements on the electoral environment.
Advocate Mahere is an active member of Ms Johnson-led Amujae Initiative having been appointed on 12, 2022.
In a tweet, the organisation, which is sponsored by the United States, referred to Advocate Mahere as an "inspiring changemaker"
"Now, she is recognized as one of Africa's most promising young politicians. Despite facing many barriers, she is using digital communication and social media to continue to fight for the protection of human rights in her home country of Zimbabwe," it said.
This is however a familiar script as a string of so-called observers notably the Carter Centre have been on a mission to discredit the country's polls by concocting falsehoods.
Some of the observers are openly working with CCC and even addressing rallies as was the case last week when one Sicelo Mngomezulu, a member of a Southern African nongovernmental organisation (NGO), who is in the country as an election observer attended the funeral of a CCC activist who died recently and accused Zanu-PF of killing the activist even when investigations are ongoing.
"Today, in Harare we joined the presidential Candidate in the upcoming Zim Elections, Adv. Nelson Chamisa, at the funeral of one of his party's members who was killed by Zanu-PF supporters during an election campaign a few days ago," he wrote on Facebook.
Other so-called observers also attended and addressed CCC rallies in Mutare and on Tuesday night in Bulawayo.
A known member of the opposition in Eswatini Mulungi Makanya is also in the country, and like most of the observers ostensibly for that purpose but really to work with the opposition and effect a change of regime by clandestine means. Most of the groups are under the Southern Defenders headed by Mr Katema Katema, a group that has caused mayhem in Lesotho and Swaziland as well.
Source - The Herald
