Zimbabwe engages Sadc over election report

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke, Harare Bureau

ZIMBABWE is disturbed by some aspects of the Sadc Elections Observer Mission (SEOM) report which are clearly partisan and run contrary to the mandate of the mission.

In view of this, Government has implored Sadc member states to examine the SEOM preliminary report as it does not reflect the true picture of the electoral process.

SEOM, along with other electoral observer missions, released preliminary reports on Friday, which raised issues that had nothing to do with the polls.

Speaking during a meeting with Sadc Ambassadors accredited to Zimbabwe in Harare yesterday, Acting Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Professor Amon Murwira, said the Government welcomed progressive preliminary comments and recommendations contained in some of the Observer mission reports that were made in the spirit of strengthening institutions and enhancing democracy in future elections.

However, he said some of the statements made in the SEOM report intentionally or unintentionally cast aspersions on the integrity of the country’s public institutions and served to create doubt within the populace.

“Sadc’s mission is to foster peace and security as the prerequisite for regional integration and development to achieve a common future. 

“However, we are disturbed by some aspects of the SEOM report which deviate from the spirit, intent and mandate of the Sadc Observer Mission as outlined in the Sadc Guidelines which Zimbabwe has fully domesticated. 

“It is our understanding that Sadc respects the sovereignty of Member States and that SEOM as its subsidiary operates within the confines of the constitutions and laws of Member States, which are passed by sovereign Parliaments. 

“We don’t believe it is in the remit of SEOM to question or interfere in Member States’ Constitutions, laws, and court decisions passed by their sovereign democratic institutions,” said Prof Murwira.

He said Zimbabwe respected Sadc, its leadership, principles and values and had full confidence that the errors cited in the SEOM report would be corrected with a view to ensuring the intended beneficial contribution to strengthening the electoral processes of Member States, including Zimbabwe.