Is the Southern African Development Community (SADC), or whatever nonsense they call themselves, still in existence and what is their purpose of existence? Does it mean whoever ‘these people’ elect as their Chairman can go around, saying things that are retrogressive to the region and to African citizens? I forgave South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki because nobody bothers with him anymore; he couldn’t hide his ineptitude from the beginning. Mbeki’s honest-to-goodness incompetence was there for all to see. And this lack of ability has pervaded other ‘kiddie’ African presidents.
Incompetence is slowly becoming a common trait among African presidents because they are not answerable to their electorates. Mwanawasa urged countries in Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia to leave Zimbabwe alone in spite of the critical need for assistance the people have. Mwanawasa should just concern himself with Zambia instead of exporting inhuman and unsympathetic rhetoric. He too should leave Zimbabwe alone because it now appears as if he is an agent of dictator Robert Mugabe.
Mwanawasa is SADC chairman and what he says must, of necessity, prove he is a leader not another African leader’s puppet. Mwanawasa’s principals, along with Zimbabwe’s opposition, involved in attempts to solve the Zimbabwean stalemate reported to SADC that the talks had collapsed and people are being abused, beaten, starved and ill-treated because of the ongoing electioneering. But instead of confronting Mugabe with evidence of human rights violations and unfair, undemocratic electoral practices, Mwanawasa shouts at the Americans and the Europeans who are keeping his belly full while we are starving. He does not have the civility to feel sorry for Africa after what transpired in Kenya.
 It appears to me that things are entering a new phase in which African presidents want to individually distinguish themselves as spineless disciples and blind followers of destructive policies all in support of a man who is destroying their economies. But, of course, Zambia and many other countries are benefiting from the chaos in Zimbabwe. South Africa even shamelessly advertises “Victoria Falls, South Africa.” Does SADC know there is an election in Zimbabwe in just 29 days time? Their chairman, Mwanawasa, just told the world to keep away from Zimbabwe when Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans clearly and desperately need assistance on all fronts.
Why does SADC not care to see, impose or monitor those requirements of their ‘SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections’? Don’t they care when their member states violate the Community’s protocols? After all, it was SADC itself that proposed, passed and adopted these principles. At their adoption, the guidelines were heralded by former Tanzanian president, Benjamin Mkapa, as “the start of an era where southern Africa took charge of its own democratic destiny, rather than allowing itself to be “lectured on democracy by the very countries, which, under colonialism, either directly denied us the rights of free citizens, or were indifferent to our suffering and yearning to break free and be democratic”. SADC even has the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC which aims “to foster cooperation between its members with a view to promoting a culture of democracy and free and fair elections in SADC countries.” I have never heard such nonsense!
Apparently, SADC does not know that Zimbabwe is one of their own members. It does not bring any help or relief to Zimbabweans yet its chairman warns away countries outside Africa not to assist the desperate people of Zimbabwe. Why is SADC silent while people are already being abused long before an election? And, last week, Mugabe had the audacity to take his birthday celebration bash to poor Thabo Mbeki’s doorstep daring any of SADC’s presidents to comment. They didn’t but you can rest assured that many of them sent birthday congratulations wishing Mugabe “many more happier returns.” Is it not really pathetic that regional bodies, like SADC, are nowhere to be seen or heard, when crucial events are taking place within their jurisdiction?
Admittedly, SADC is a useless body milking and wasting public funds at the expense of people’s plight, but I expected SADC to, at least, have the decency to say something, however wayward, about the looming electoral heist in Zimbabwe and the clear violations of conducting free, fair and democratic elections. They have nothing to say because they don’t have any rationale to exist; they are just another outlet for holidays in exotic places. SADC really should be ashamed of themselves. And I now hold all SADC presidents responsible for allowing both SADC and dictator Robert Mugabe to make fools not only of SADC citizens but of SADC presidents as well. Zimbabweans are now crossing into Zambia looking for food to sustain their families. And, of course, they are taking jobs from Zambians and clearly affecting prices of goods there.
Also Zimbabweans are taking contraband liquor and cigarettes there with the help of starving immigration officers at the Zimbabwe/Zambia border. Mwanawasa berates the Americans and the Europeans and warns them to “leave Zimbabwe alone” but says nothing about the smouldering problem at his doorstep. Now this is from the Chairman of SADC. Not one country that borders Zimbabwe is untouched or unaffected by the mayhem in Zimbabwe but you have a SADC leader spouting drivel at people who have absolutely nothing to do with the murders, economic mismanagement and electoral fraud that is taking place in Zimbabwe. I find it extremely patronising and, frankly, down right offensive and irresponsible for Mwanawasa to stand up and tell the world that Zimbabwe must be left alone.
Why, when elections are being stolen and people being beaten, starved and abused by their own police and government? And a few days after Mwanawasa made that reckless statement, Zimbabwe’s Police Commissioner, Augustine Chihuri, a staunch Mugabe loyalist, told a press briefing that the police had prepared to use firearms during and after elections to thwart any possible protests. Mwanawasa, being a lawyer, should know that Mugabe is not Zimbabwe and that Zimbabwe does not belong to Mugabe. But we are caught in a full Nelson and we cannot pry ourselves free on our own. And Mwanawasa encourages a man who has shown total disregard for human life.
SADC needs to first prove itself as a credible election umpire. It has let us down so many times before. SADC clearly supports the sitting president. Zimbabwe has never met any of the SADC Principles and Guidelines for democratic elections. And SADC has never said anything about the dangerous inconsistency. And, as SADC chairman, Mwanawasa had the audacity to say such things to the world and to us. It is like punching an injury. Isn’t it good that people like Mbeki and Mwanawasa are on their way out?
“Come the parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe in March, an election process that is already flawed considering the heavy restrictions on freedom of assembly and the clamping down on the independent media, SADC leaders will have to show that they are capable of criticising a fellow SADC government,” said Dr Anne Hammerstad, a senior researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, in December 2004 and in reference to the 2005 elections. “Only by doing so can the organisation shake off its image as an exclusive club of ruling parties more interested in supporting each other than in ensuring free and fair elections.”
That statement applies today. SADC has neither grown an inch since then nor learned anything from itself. How wretched, indeed! The most painful thing for us, however, is that, while we accept the irrelevance of SADC and the uselessness of African leaders and their deliberate unwillingness to assist us in Zimbabwe, why do they stand in the way and stop those other countries who want to assist us? African presidents are guiltier than sin.
Post published in: Uncategorized