'Attacks on Zimbabwe election observers threat to SADC'

Ministers from the SADC Troika have expressed concern over recent attacks on Zambian leader Hakainde Hichilema and the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) by some Zimbabwean authorities following a critical report on Zimbabwe's August elections. The ministers stated that such attacks pose a threat to the regional bloc and its subsidiary organs.

SADC and other international observer missions had raised concerns about the credibility of the elections, citing issues like police interference in opposition campaigns, alleged bias and incompetence by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), and problems with balloting in opposition strongholds.

These concerns led to insults and threats from some Zanu-PF officials, targeting Hichilema and Nevers Mumba, who chaired the SEOM mission. The SADC Troika ministers expressed their worry that such attacks undermine the principles and guidelines governing democratic elections in SADC and may affect the credibility of future SEOMs, including the upcoming Eswatini election.

The ministers called on the SADC secretariat to protect the credibility and leadership of SADC structures, emphasizing the importance of crafting reports and statements in a manner that ensures relevant procedures and rules are followed. They also urged the secretariat to ensure that Organ Troika Member States continue to process, adopt, and take ownership of SEOM reports to prevent unwarranted suggestions that the reports are the product of one individual or member state.

Zanu-PF and the Zimbabwean government had not responded to the Troika ministerial position at the time of the report.