Opinion / Columnist
Did Hichilema send Mumba with a specific mission?
04 Sep 2023 at 16:45hrs | Views
Dear Sadc,
Below is a transcription of the attached video clip on which Dr Nevers Mumba makes staggerring claims about what he says Zambian President Hichilema told him he expected him to go and do in Zimbabwe on behalf of Sadc, as Chairperson of Sadc's Election Observation Mission [SEOM]:
"He [President Hichilema] said to me, Mr Vice President go on behalf of Sadc, and all I expect from you is to help and give the Zimbabweans a free, fair and credible election. Those are the only…he said it twice. I need nothing from you Mr Vice President but free, fair and credible election, you would have done your job.
When I was in Zimbabwe, and we were on our way to go and see President Mnangagwa to pay a courtesy call on him, I contacted the President, President Hakainde Hichilema, I said Mr President I'm going to see, we are going to see your colleague, do you have a word for him; any greeting whatever?
He said no, the only thing you tell my colleague is that let's go ahead and give the Zimbabweans a free, fair and credible election. He repeated the same twice". Dr Nevers Mumba, speaking on Zambian television in a live two hours, 21 minutes and 49 seconds long interview on SEOM's preliminary statement on its observations of Zimbabwe's recent harmonised general election.
OPEN QUESTIONS TO SADC
To begin with, the questions below arise from a live two hours, 21 minutes and 49 seconds long interview on Zambian national television that Dr Nevers Mumba held exclusively on SEOM's preliminary statement on its observations of Zimbabwe's recent harmonised general election.
1. Does SEOM's Code of Conduct permit its Chairpersons or officials to conduct such interviews as was done by Dr Mumba, and when they hold such interviews on whose authority or behalf do they speak?
2. Did SADC mandate President Hichilema to direct the Chairperson of SEOM "to go on behalf of Sadc to give the people of Zimbabwe a free, fair and credible election?"
3. If so, how or through what approved mechanism or protocol did Sadc expect SEOM to give the people of Zimbabwe a free, fair and credible election; and if not, what is the SADC position on Dr Mumba's claims regarding what he says was his job to go and do in Zimbabwe on behalf of Sadc?
4. If what Dr Mumba claims he was told by President Hichilema to go and do in Zimbabwe on behalf of Sadc is indeed what he was mandated by Sadc, who in SADC gave that mandate, and in terms of which specific SADC Principle[s] and Guideline[s] Governing Democratic Elections (2021); was that mandate given?
5. If the mandate that Dr Mumba claims he was given by President Hichilema is not based on or supported by any SADC Principle[s] and Guideline[s] Governing Democratic Elections (2021), how and when will SADC deal with what would be a gross violation of SEOM's Code of Conduct?
6. Last but not least, what are the implications of Dr Mumba's revelation that he was given a specific mission that he would have done his job if he, on behalf of Sadc, gave the Zimbabweans a free, far and credible election; on the content, integrity and credibility of SEOM's preliminary and final reports?
Your clarification of the above questions would be great public interest in Zimbabwe and the region!
Below is a transcription of the attached video clip on which Dr Nevers Mumba makes staggerring claims about what he says Zambian President Hichilema told him he expected him to go and do in Zimbabwe on behalf of Sadc, as Chairperson of Sadc's Election Observation Mission [SEOM]:
"He [President Hichilema] said to me, Mr Vice President go on behalf of Sadc, and all I expect from you is to help and give the Zimbabweans a free, fair and credible election. Those are the only…he said it twice. I need nothing from you Mr Vice President but free, fair and credible election, you would have done your job.
When I was in Zimbabwe, and we were on our way to go and see President Mnangagwa to pay a courtesy call on him, I contacted the President, President Hakainde Hichilema, I said Mr President I'm going to see, we are going to see your colleague, do you have a word for him; any greeting whatever?
He said no, the only thing you tell my colleague is that let's go ahead and give the Zimbabweans a free, fair and credible election. He repeated the same twice". Dr Nevers Mumba, speaking on Zambian television in a live two hours, 21 minutes and 49 seconds long interview on SEOM's preliminary statement on its observations of Zimbabwe's recent harmonised general election.
@SADC_News Did Hichilema send Mumba with a specific mission? pic.twitter.com/jos25HoI4D
— Bulawayo24 News (@Bulawayo24News) September 4, 2023
OPEN QUESTIONS TO SADC
1. Does SEOM's Code of Conduct permit its Chairpersons or officials to conduct such interviews as was done by Dr Mumba, and when they hold such interviews on whose authority or behalf do they speak?
2. Did SADC mandate President Hichilema to direct the Chairperson of SEOM "to go on behalf of Sadc to give the people of Zimbabwe a free, fair and credible election?"
3. If so, how or through what approved mechanism or protocol did Sadc expect SEOM to give the people of Zimbabwe a free, fair and credible election; and if not, what is the SADC position on Dr Mumba's claims regarding what he says was his job to go and do in Zimbabwe on behalf of Sadc?
4. If what Dr Mumba claims he was told by President Hichilema to go and do in Zimbabwe on behalf of Sadc is indeed what he was mandated by Sadc, who in SADC gave that mandate, and in terms of which specific SADC Principle[s] and Guideline[s] Governing Democratic Elections (2021); was that mandate given?
5. If the mandate that Dr Mumba claims he was given by President Hichilema is not based on or supported by any SADC Principle[s] and Guideline[s] Governing Democratic Elections (2021), how and when will SADC deal with what would be a gross violation of SEOM's Code of Conduct?
6. Last but not least, what are the implications of Dr Mumba's revelation that he was given a specific mission that he would have done his job if he, on behalf of Sadc, gave the Zimbabweans a free, far and credible election; on the content, integrity and credibility of SEOM's preliminary and final reports?
Your clarification of the above questions would be great public interest in Zimbabwe and the region!
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