The secretary-general of South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC), Fikile Mbalula, said Western countries should desist from meddling in Zimbabwe’s affairs but should respect the results from the recently-held Harmonised Elections.
Mbalula said the ANC rejects some preliminary reports on Zimbabwe’s elections, saying the party had sent its own observer mission to Zimbabwe, which will report on the elections, instead of relying on third parties.
Posting on X, Mbalula called upon Western countries to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe to allow the southern African country’s economy to flourish. He said:
The ANC position discredits reports which contained glaringly broad, subjective claims and conclusions that were all based on indirect observation of the election.
We did send an observer mission as the ANC to Zimbabwe, this week will give us a report and we make our position clear with regard to the outcome of the Zim elections.
I support democracy, we need to support the democratic outcome and stop meddling in Zimbabwe’s affairs by way of seeking to subvert democratic outcomes, and lift sanctions so that Zimbabwe’s economy can flourish and Zimbabweans go and work in their country.
Responding to accusations that he was biased towards ZANU PF, Mbalula said:
I have not pronounced on the Zimbabwe election outcome. After the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission pronounced President Emmerson (Mnangagwa) I said ‘Viva’ that’s all.
ZANU PF is supported by Zimbabweans that is a fact, they pulled big rallies in that country.
The SADC Observer Mission last week Zimbabwe’s Harmonised Elections fell short of the regional body’s guidelines on governance and democracy.
More: Pindula News