Sadc indaba puts Zimbabwe electoral dispute on the back burner

It appears that the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) may not address its critical report on Zimbabwe's 2023 elections during its 44th summit in Harare on August 17.

The report, led by former Zambian deputy president Nevers Mumba, criticized the elections for failing to meet constitutional and regional standards.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who will assume the Sadc chairmanship at the summit, is expected to lead the discussions. Given that Zimbabwe will now hold the chairmanship, there is speculation that the election report might be sidelined or not discussed. Sources within Sadc suggest that the bloc may avoid delving into the report due to Mnangagwa's new leadership role.

Stephen Chan, a professor at London University, and other analysts believe that the summit will focus on broader regional issues, with little emphasis on Zimbabwe's electoral process.

The summit's agenda includes reviewing the Sadc Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP), food security, and the impact of the El Niño-induced drought, but does not explicitly mention the election report.

This reluctance to address the adverse report could be influenced by Sadc's priority on organizational stability and Mnangagwa's role as the new chairperson.