By Kundai Marunya
IN a move that continues to shame detractors, including former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa, Western-funded civic society organisations and opposition political activists, the 44th SADC Summit has once again endorsed last year’s harmonised general elections as ‘free and fair’.
This puts paid to the opposition’s wild dreams of having the poll results overturned.
Chamisa has previously written to the regional bloc claiming that the elections were rigged but failed to produce proof to that effect.
Instead, he based his argument on observer mission reports that were submitted by those who wish to see a regime change in the country.
Outgoing chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security (SADC Troika), Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema commended the various elections held throughout the region in the previous year, Zimbabwe included.
Speaking in a virtual address as the outgoing chairman of the SADC Troika, President Hichilema said he was pleased with the way elections were held in the region.
“As the Executive Secretary (Elias Magosi) said, elections are almost, if you like, the ultimate in our democratic dispensations, and elections can be difficult, elections can be emotional, but we’re very pleased that the elections that happened during our time or the year that has passed, were reasonably peaceful and delivered leaderships that SADC can be proud of as a bloc, that we have maintained or managed to have a peaceful transition of leaderships from one team to another during the last year,” he said.
Earlier, the SADC director of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs, Professor Kula Theletsane, during his opening address of the SADC Troika, said Zimbabwe is one of the five countries that successfully held its general elections.
“In our efforts towards the consolidation of peace and strengthening democracy and good governance, five SADC member-states successfully conducted peaceful general elections — the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Republic of Madagascar, South Africa and Zimbabwe,” said Prof Theletsane.
“In all these elections, the SADC Electoral Observation Mission played a central role in observing the elections based on the provisions of the SADC Treaty, the Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.
“To this end, I would want to congratulate the governments and the people of the five member-states for the successful elections which allowed citizens to exercise their democratic rights and freedom of choice.”
The unequivocal endorsement has left opposition politicians and civic society organisations that were pushing for a regime change through demonstrations with egg on their face.
Even their call for demonstrations was ignored by ordinary citizens who have been applauding the Government for successfully upgrading infrastructure to world-class standards ahead of the Summit.
Another huge blow for detractors was President Mnangagwa’s smooth assumption of the SADC chairmanship.
Heads of State who attended the Summit included the outgoing SADC Chair President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço (Angola), President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi (Botswana), President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo (the DRC), King Mswati III (Eswatini), Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane (Lesotho), President Andry Rajoelina (Madagascar), President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera (Malawi), President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi (Mozambique), President Nangolo Mbumba (Namibia), President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa) and President Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania).
Mauritius was represented by Deputy Prime Minister Louis Steven Obeegadoo, Zambia sent Honourable Mulambo Haimbe (who is the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation), while Seychelles was represented by Ambassador Claude Morel, who is the Special Envoy of the President.
In a show of true statesmanship, which reaffirms the Second Republic’s foreign policy mantra, ‘friend to all and enemy to none’, President Mnangagwa acknowledged President Hichilema’s leadership.
“Allow me to also acknowledge the dedication and leadership demonstrated by His Excellency, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation,” he said in his acceptance speech of the SADC chairmanship.
“The Organ remains a critical cog in nurturing unity, constitutionalism, democracy and the rule of law as well as peace and security, in line with the founding values, ethos and principles of SADC.”
President Mnangagwa emphasised that unity and solidarity should never be sacrificed for short-term economic benefits.
“The democracy, independence and freedom being enjoyed by the peoples of the region were paid for through the sweat, tears and blood of yesteryear heroes and heroines as well as sons and daughters of SADC,” he said.
“We have a sacred duty to honour them all by jealously guarding and defending our sovereignty and right to economic self-determination.
“We are a proud Southern African people with a rich history and a brighter future. Let us never sacrifice our unity, solidarity or African culture for political or economic expediency.
“Ultimately, the burden and responsibility to build our countries and the region as a whole, for sustainable prosperity, lies with us, the great peoples of SADC.”
He further encouraged citizens of the region to take on development of their own countries and accept help only on their terms.
“In Zimbabwe, our development philosophy is that ‘a country is built, governed and prayed for by its people’,” said President Mnangagwa.
“Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/ilizwe lakhiwa, libusiswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo’.
“Likewise, our region, SADC, will be modernised and industrialised by its own citizens, through our individual and collective efforts.
“Those who seek to help us are welcome. However, they must do so on our terms, guided by our priorities and respecting our sovereignty.
“I, therefore, challenge my fellow citizens of the region to remain unapologetic and confident in who we are, as a people, and in our God-given abilities. Through unity and hard honest work, nothing is impossible.”
