News / Local
Zimbabwe polls a done deal?
02 Nov 2023 at 01:37hrs | Views
The recently held election in Zimbabwe received a resounding endorsement from the Extraordinary SADC Summit, signifying the regional body's full satisfaction with the outcome, according to diplomatic sources. Heads of States and Governments from the region, who convened virtually, commended Zimbabwe for conducting elections democratically and suggested that other countries with upcoming elections could learn from Zimbabwe's process.
In response to SADC's endorsement, Zimbabwe's opposition, seeking a government of national unity despite losing the polls, staged fake abductions to gain favor with the regional body. However, diplomatic sources in Botswana clarified that SADC regards Zimbabwe as a closed chapter in terms of its elections and is not influenced by such theatrics.
The SADC Summit will convene in Angola to address the security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Zimbabwe is not on the agenda. Instead, Zimbabwe will serve as an example to other regional countries with pending elections on how to conduct their plebiscites.
The extraordinary virtual summit, chaired by Angolan President Joao Lourenco, praised Zimbabwe's August 23, 2023, elections as exemplary and a major victory for democracy. President Lourenco congratulated President Mnangagwa for the election victory and hoped that the same spirit would be seen in the upcoming elections in Madagascar and the DRC.
This SADC endorsement refuted the claims of detractors who sought to discredit the Zimbabwean polls, asserting that they did not meet the SADC Guidelines and Protocols Governing Democratic Elections. Observers, countries, and liberation movements, including the African National Congress of South Africa, deemed the process credible and hailed the peaceful conduct of the elections.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Frederick Shava clarified that the extraordinary meeting's inclusion of Zimbabwe as an agenda item was not procedural, as such meetings should focus on their intended purpose, and Zimbabwe objected to it. The meeting ended due to connectivity glitches, and the chairman suggested reconvening in person, likely in Angola, on Saturday.
In response to SADC's endorsement, Zimbabwe's opposition, seeking a government of national unity despite losing the polls, staged fake abductions to gain favor with the regional body. However, diplomatic sources in Botswana clarified that SADC regards Zimbabwe as a closed chapter in terms of its elections and is not influenced by such theatrics.
The SADC Summit will convene in Angola to address the security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Zimbabwe is not on the agenda. Instead, Zimbabwe will serve as an example to other regional countries with pending elections on how to conduct their plebiscites.
The extraordinary virtual summit, chaired by Angolan President Joao Lourenco, praised Zimbabwe's August 23, 2023, elections as exemplary and a major victory for democracy. President Lourenco congratulated President Mnangagwa for the election victory and hoped that the same spirit would be seen in the upcoming elections in Madagascar and the DRC.
This SADC endorsement refuted the claims of detractors who sought to discredit the Zimbabwean polls, asserting that they did not meet the SADC Guidelines and Protocols Governing Democratic Elections. Observers, countries, and liberation movements, including the African National Congress of South Africa, deemed the process credible and hailed the peaceful conduct of the elections.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Frederick Shava clarified that the extraordinary meeting's inclusion of Zimbabwe as an agenda item was not procedural, as such meetings should focus on their intended purpose, and Zimbabwe objected to it. The meeting ended due to connectivity glitches, and the chairman suggested reconvening in person, likely in Angola, on Saturday.
Source - The Herald
