Mr. Ndali Che Kamati, the Namibian Observer Mission Head of Delegation, has criticised certain Election Observer Missions in Zimbabwe for making statements that he sees as part of a plot to unseat Former Liberation Movements, governments, and systems. He suggested that some Western countries aim to remove Liberation Movements from power, which explains the critical pronouncements made.
Kamati emphasized that despite such claims, they continue to invite observers because of their commitment to transparency, freedom, and fair elections. However, he expressed disapproval of such pronouncements, stating that they are not appreciated. He told reporters in Harare:
We are former Liberation Movements – ZANU PF, SWAPO, PLA, ANC, FRELIMO – and some African countries, in the West especially Europe, want to unseat Liberation Movements and that is why you hear these pronouncements like you heard this week here (Zimbabwe). There is an agenda.
He stated that the pronouncements constitute a direct assault on former Liberation Movements, governments, and systems, and noted that this situation is not unique to Zimbabwe but also applies to Namibia and South Africa. He added:
We keep on inviting them because we are not hiding anything, we are transparent, and we are free and we want fair Elections but we do not appreciate such pronouncements.
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His comments were made in response to the criticism expressed by other observer missions that monitored Zimbabwe’s harmonized elections held on August 23-24. These missions condemned the elections due to various irregularities. They stated that the elections did not meet the requirements outlined in Zimbabwe’s Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021). The observer missions raised concerns about the lack of transparency, independence, fairness, and credibility in the electoral processes. They also highlighted instances of voter intimidation and the disenfranchisement of candidates, particularly women. Furthermore, the missions noted that there were undue restrictions on the rights to freedom of assembly, association, and expression, rights that are protected by Zimbabwe’s Constitution and regional guidelines.
In response to these irregularities, the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has called for new elections. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the winner of the presidential election, with Nelson Chamisa of the CCC as the runner-up. The ZANU PF party secured the majority of National Assembly seats.