Both AU and SADC election observers have dismissed the 23 August Zimbabwe elections as a farce. The regional body has since met and endorsed the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) damning report.
“Conclusion 13.3
The SEOM noted that, as detailed in sections 6 and 7 of this report, some aspects of the Harmonised Elections fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021),” stated the SEOM report.
There is no doubt that SADC leaders have been divided as what to do next, regarding the damn election report. There are some SADC leaders, notable SA’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and his ANC government, who wanted Zanu PF granted political legitimacy and the damning report swept under the carpet and forgotten.
No one could deny the lasting damage sweeping the damning report would do to SADC’s reputation. What is the point of producing the principles and guidelines on elections or any thing else for that matter is there are no consequences for blatantly disregarding the said principles!
For the people of Zimbabwe the situation is more urgent; the August elections were flawed and illegal and therefore, per se, failed to produce a legitimate government. This Mnangagwa administration complete with its CCC opposition side-kick are illegitimate.
When the blatant cheating and wanton violence in the 2008 elections had forced both AU and SADC to condemn the elections process and thus deny Zanu PF political legitimacy; SADC had assumed the supervisory role of forming a GNU, an interim governing arrangement to bridge the period whilst allow reforms to be implemented to stop the cheating and wanton violence and holding of fresh elections. Zimbabwe needs a similar arrangement now!
It is therefore not surprising that there are stories of SADC still trying to come up with a way forward for Zimbabwe given the regional body officially accepted the August 2023 Zimbabwe elections failed to produce a legitimate government.
“MNANGAGWA SENDS ZANU PF DELEGATION TO SADC!
By Our CHIEF ZIMBABWE CORRESPONDENT.” read one report circulating in the social media.
“A ZANU PF delegation will leave HARARE for GABORONE this Friday January 5 for a crunch meeting with the SADC Secretariat, our highly placed Sources within both ZANU PF and SADC say.
“Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa is sending the ZANU PF delegation with three sets of points for SADC to Consider which reads as follows:
1): ZANU PF proposes a Power Sharing arrangement with the Zimbabwe main Opposition Citizens Coalition for change led by Nelson Chamisa.
2): ZANU PF does acknowledge receipt of the Communique from SADC with the proposal of the 30 June 2024 as the date fresh elections in Zimbabwe will be held.
3): That ZANU PF understands why SADC reached the resolution for FRESH ELECTIONS to be held in Zimbabwe...but however...ZANU PF proposes a Power Sharing arrangement instead of FRESH ELECTIONS IN ZIMBABWE.”
There are two reasons why SADC leaders have endorsed SEOM’s damning Zimbabwe election report and yet the leaders have hesitated denying Zanu PF political legitimacy:
- a) CCC participated in these flawed elections knowing fully well that the process was flawed out of greed. Chamisa even boasted of “plugging all the vote rigging loop holes!” Even after the AU, SADC and even Zimbabwe’s own ZHRC had denounced the election process as a farce, all winning CCC members accepted the result and took up their gravy train seats. When Chamisa tried to talk them out of taking their gravy train seats, they flatly refused to listen. This has confirmed the historic fact that MDC/CCC leaders pay lip service to democratic changes and free elections, when all they care about is getting their share of the spoils of power.
- b) The chaos and confusion within CCC following the successful recall of elected party official have driven home the reality that CCC is a weak and divided party; it is one thing denying Zanu PF political legitimacy when it is clear the party will remain the dominant political party regardless what alternative arrangement is proposed. Indeed, if SADC insist on a GNU or fresh elections, Zanu PF may make Zimbabwe ungovernable and blame SADC for it!
SADC must accept the political reality in Zimbabwe that Chamisa and his CCC friends are corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless. And Zanu PF is the only game in town. Indeed, Zanu PF managed to emerge out of the 2008 to 2013 GNU with all the party’s dictatorial powers untouched precisely because MDC leaders were corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless, this has not changed.
Unless SADC is prepared to play a more hands-on active role in the new GNU, much more SA Minister Lindiwe Zulu played in the last GNU; then it will be foolish to create a new GNU knowing fully well that nothing of substance will be accomplished. Nothing!
SADC leaders have the excuse why Zimbabwe’s 2008 to 2013 GNU failed to implement even one token democratic reform - they did not know that Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends were corrupt, incompetent and utterly less. Everyone knows that Chamisa and his CCC friends are corrupt, incompetent and utterly, utterly useless; it will be unforgivable for SADC entrust Zimbabwe’s destiny in such irresponsible hands ever again!
Ultimately it was the responsibility of the people of Zimbabwe to make sure MDC implemented all the democratic reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. We let ourselves down and are paying dearly for it.
Indeed, it is shocking that even now, with the benefit of hindsight, many Zimbabweans still have no clue the GNU was the nation’s golden opportunity to implement the reforms and end the Zanu PF dictatorship. And so if Zimbabweans have learnt nothing from the last GNU it is clear opportunity to get the reforms implemented during the new GNU will be wasted too.
If SADC want the democratic reforms to be implemented then the regional body will have take on Zanu PF and not entrust this important task to the corrupt and incompetent CCC, especially when every one knows CCC are corrupt and incompetent. It would be irresponsible for SADC to drag the Zimbabwe through yet another GNU knowing fully well that no good will ever come out of it!