Zim has right to invite, or bar observers

descend on the country like a pack of wolves after prey.

The Government, as we have said before, should be commended, and not condemned for declaring that Western countries are not welcome to observe the referendum on Saturday.

The suffrage is an internal process and there is no way a country can be forced to invite some hostile organisations such as the EU countries, Britain and America that imposed illegal sanctions and other punitive measures on Zimbabwe.

What value do they bring to Zimbabwe’s body politic apart from just accounting for the devastating effects of the sanctions they imposed outside the UN system?

AU and Sadc leaders have already made it clear that African problems need an African solution.
It is, therefore, an ideal situation that Zimbabwe should be allowed as an independent sovereign state to invite sisterly countries in the region to observe its referendum and the subsequent general elections later this year.

Recently, Britain Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Deborah Bronnert gave the game away when he said Zimbabwe’s forthcoming polls will only be free and fair if the country invites the EU observer team.
Really?
This came after the Zimbabwean Government announced that it was not inviting the EU to observe the referendum because it was biased against another party in the inclusive Government.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi should be lauded for abundantly making it clear that Zimbabwe would invite international observers from Sadc, Comesa, the AU and other friendly countries only.
Ms Bronnert should be reminded that although the EU and Britain might have the best and highly trained election observers the world over, to Zimbabwe they are as good as angels of the devil that will come to confirm if more screws are needed to make life more miserable for Zimbabweans.

What Zimbabwe needs now is not the best trained elections observers from the EU but the lifting of the diabolic sanctions they imposed on the country.
The Sadc observer mission sent by the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation chair who is also Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete, sounded African and their approach is clear that Zimbabweans have solutions to their problems.

Zimbabwe needs assistance from sister and friendly nations, and not Western prescribed solutions.
The observer team led by Mr Bernard Membe on arrival clearly said Zimbabweans should participate peacefully in the referendum to ensure the exercise is free, fair, democratic and legitimate.

“My duty is to appeal to Zimbabweans to turn out in huge numbers to make their decisions in referendum set for March 16. This will determine democracy in the country,” said Mr Membe soon after arrival.

Mr Membe’s statement is not judgmental and as a brother from Africa, he is proffering solutions.
The fact that the US barred EU officials from observing its polls last year and nothing happened to it means the West has no respect for Africans.
The EU, the US and Britain should respect Africans if they demand space to solve their problems without interference.

Why are we blamed, threatened with all sorts of punitive measures, if we do exactly what the West are doing to each other? Where does the West, mainly the EU and Britain, draw their power to force other sovereign states to open up their electoral process to them for scrutiny anytime?

It is against this backdrop that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission should be commended for whittling the influence of some Western embassies’ influence in the country by just allowing only five officials per embassy to observe the referendum.

ZEC should tighten security and ensure there is close monitoring of the polls by genuine observers.
We also urge the ZEC to thoroughly vet some local non-governmental organisations because some of them are extensions of countries and organisations that the Government has barred from observing the poll.

Zimbabwe, as a member of the community of nations, should be treated fairly by any country — rich or poor, powerful or weak. The country should be allowed to invite guests of its choice to be part of the banquet taking place on Saturday.

On their part, Zimbabweans must demonstrate that we are a peace loving nation by turning out in their thousands and voting in tranquillity this Saturday, and thereafter during the harmonised polls. That is the only way we can shame detractors.