Mnangagwa Urges Election Observers To Respect Zimbabwe's Electoral Processes
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reminded election observers to adhere to their mandate and respect the country’s electoral processes. He made the remarks while addressing a ZANU PF star rally held in Shurugwi, Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe invited 45 countries, 17 organizations, and all SADC member states to observe the upcoming elections. However, President Mnangagwa urged the observers to approach their task with an open mind and without predetermined outcomes.
The President reiterated Zimbabwe’s deep understanding of democracy and emphasised that the country could not be taught the basic principles by any other nation.
Information Secretary, Nick Mangwana, also reiterated the need for observers to stay in their lane. He said:
No observer, whether its Ellen Sirleaf Johnson and her Centre for Women Development or the EU and its observer mission, should interfere. They should all maintain a watching brief. That watching brief should not be guided by who makes the loudest noise on social media, but evidence-based practices.
The President himself was clear that an invitation to observe was not an invitation to interfere.
Mangwana also said Zimbabwe had no legal or moral obligation to invite countries that “imposed unilateral, undemocratic, and illegal sanctions” to observe its elections but President Mnangagwa saw it as a necessary step in fostering reconciliation and demonstrating goodwill. He said Zimbabwean authorities hoped that this positive gesture will be reciprocated with honesty, fairness, and goodwill towards the people of Zimbabwe.
