SADC Heads of State are set to debate the contents of a damning report by the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) on Zimbabwe’s 2023 Harmonised Elections, reported ZimLive.
Zimbabwean authorities and representatives of the SADC election observer mission are expected to make presentations to the SADC Heads of State.
This was revealed on Wednesday by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa while speaking to SABC on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78) in New York.
According to the preliminary report by SEOM, Zimbabwe’s 23 August 2023 Harmonised Elections did not meet regional and international benchmarks governing the running of credible polls.
Ramaphosa came under scrutiny at home and abroad for both congratulating and attending Mnangagwa’s inauguration.
In fact, Ramaphosa was among only three SADC Heads of State who attended Mnangagwa’s inauguration, there other two being the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Felix Tshisekedi and Mozambique’s Filipe Nyusi. Said Ramaphosa:
If one looks at that report, it actually says there were challenges; challenges with regards to a number of things that have got to do with the election.
Many countries throughout the world have such challenges; the United States is a prime example with regards to the last election.
They (observers) have said in the report, as I read it, that certain things need to be improved.
They have not declared the election as invalid, unfree and unfair; they have highlighted certain challenges.
What was said by representatives of the observer mission still has to be discussed in SADC because it’s not a final report.
Those are challenges that need to be addressed.
Well, there is a lack of transparency, they (observers) need to come up with the details and I would say, yes, let the details be put forward so that we can deal with them.
So, we are waiting to receive that report at the SADC level so that we can deal with it because if anything, it was an interim report.
So, once the report is put to the SADC body, we will then debate it and we will also hear representations from Zimbabwe as well as the SADC observer mission.
Meanwhile, Mnangagwa met Ramaphosa, Nyusi, and SADC chair, Angolan President João Lourenço, in New York on Wednesday.
More: Pindula News