Zimbabwe elections ‘exemplary and a major victory for democracy’

THOSE who were making noise on the corner of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) and its leader Advocate Nelson Chamisa were forced to eat humble pie after the Extraordinary Summit of the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) last week endorsed Zimbabwe’s August elections as “exemplary and a major victory for democracy” and implored other countries in the region due to hold their polls later this year to emulate how the country went about its business.

The leader of the opposition political party and his supporters have been making unsubstantiated claims that the elections were not free and fair. However, accredited election observer missions gave the elections thumbs up, and have repeatedly said that the outcome reflected the will of the people. This was after President Mnangagwa comfortably won the Presidential election with his ruling Zanu-PF party dominating in both parliament and senate contests.

Last Tuesday, addressing the summit, held virtually and drawing Heads of States and Government from the region, Sadc Chairperson and Angolan leader, President Joao Lourenco, hailed Zimbabwe and the Kingdom of Eswatini for recently holding elections in a democratic manner, saying other countries that were due to hold elections this year had a lot to learn from the two countries.

The extraordinary virtual summit was convened to discuss the security situation in the region with particular focus on the Democratic Republic of Congo where there have been hostilities in eastern parts of the country. Our sister paper, The Herald, reported that President Lourenco, who initially congratulated President Mnangagwa for his election victory when they met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, repeated the message during the Extraordinary Summit which was attended by several Heads of State and Government who included President Mnangagwa and the Chairperson of Sadc Troika on Politics, Defence and Security and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema.

“Your Excellencies, allow me to congratulate His Excellency, Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Majesty King Mswati (III) for the exemplary elections that were recently conducted in your countries where there was tranquillity and the orderly manner in which they took place constituted a major victory for democracy and contribution to peace and stability amongst everyone in the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Kingdom of Eswatini.  Allow me to express our hope that this same spirit will also be seen in the elections that will take place in the Republic of Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of Congo,” said President Lourenco.

Now that the elections chapter has been closed, we implore patriotic Zimbabweans to take heed of President Mnangagwa’s call to focus on development, as the country works towards attaining an upper middle income society by 2030.

In a statement soon after the elections, President Mnangagwa pledged to push the development agenda to consolidate the gains achieved so far under the Second Republic. Under President Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe has scored major development milestones in key economic sectors in line with the National Development Strategy (NDS1) and the broader vision to achieve an upper-middle-income economy by 2030. 

“The elections have come and gone. I am humbled by the trust and confidence that you my fellow countrymen and women have reposed in me, to once again serve as President of our great country, Zimbabwe. There is much more work to be done. 

“Together, as one united people we shall continue on the growth trajectory witnessed over the last five years, no one and no place will be left behind.”