The Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Election Observer Mission (SEOM), Dr. Nevers Mumba, has defended the preliminary report on Zimbabwe’s 23 August 2023 Harmonised Elections.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared President Emmerson Mnangagwa the winner with 52.6 percent of the total votes cast, while his closest challenger Nelson Chamisa clinched 44 percent of the votes.
In the SEOM preliminary report, Mumba’s team highlighted various concerns, including voting delays, the banning of opposition rallies, and biased state media coverage during the electoral process.
However, the report was heavily criticised by Mnangagwa’s party, ZANU PF, and State-controlled media in Zimbabwe.
Appearing on ZNBC’s Sunday Interview, Mumba said the report he presented on the Zimbabwe elections was not a personal opinion but rather a reflection of the findings of the SADC observer mission. He said:
When we go into a country, we do not observe elections as individuals but as representatives of SADC. The task of the SADC observer mission was to audit the election. I never sided with Chamisa.
Mumba said the report adhered to SADC’s guidelines and principles. He stressed his unwavering commitment to fairness and justice, saying the mission carried out its role with integrity.
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