Former Botswana President Ian Khama has called for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to expel Zimbabwe if it is proven that the ruling ZANU PF party meddled in the elections of other member states.
ZANU PF is accused of interfering in elections across the region to help fellow former liberation movements retain power.
Specifically, Zimbabwe’s ruling party is alleged to have facilitated election rigging in Mozambique’s disputed October 9 elections and sent a delegation to campaign for Botswana’s BDP ahead of the October 30 poll.
ZANU PF is accused of allowing Mozambique’s FRELIMO party to campaign in Zimbabwe, while opposition parties in Zimbabwe are routinely banned from holding rallies under the strict Maintenance of Peace and Order (MOPO) Act.
ZANU PF has strongly denied the allegations, insisting it does not interfere in the political affairs of neighbouring countries.
The party claims that sending senior officials to regional meetings should not be interpreted as support for election manipulation or rigging.
Khama, however, said that SADC should take action against Zimbabwe if it is found guilty of interfering in the elections of other countries. He said:
SADC must Expel Zimbabwe if found to have interfered with elections in the Region.
ZANU PF has sent a delegation to Namibia in a show of solidarity with the ruling SWAPO party ahead of the country’s general elections, scheduled for November 27, 2024.
The party confirmed the deployment of officials to Namibia in a statement posted on its official X page on Thursday. It said:
ZANU PF delegation led by Secretary for War Veterans League Cde Douglas Mahiya and Deputy Secretary for Commissariat Cde Webster Shamu arrived in Namibia.
They joined other revolutionary sister parties in solidarity with SWAPO ahead of the scheduled November 27 elections.
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