Election observers to arrive in country

BY CHIEF REPORTER

HARARE

Election observers from southern Africa flew into Zimbabwe this week.

Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary Tomaz Salomao arrived in Harare on Tuesday to launch the region’s observer mission.

Tanki Mothae, the head of the SADC election observer mission from Angola and Chair of the regional Organ on Politics, Defence and Security (OPDS), said that the SADC had deployed more than 100 observers from various member states and they were arriving in teams. The first 50 arrived on Sunday.

But the SADC Parliamentary Forum, excluded from observing Zimbabwe’s general elections three years ago, said it was yet to be invited.  

The Government, which in 2002 expelled the leader of an European Union election observer team and so forced the withdrawal of the entire mission, has invited what it says are friendly African and Asian governments to observe the polls.

Such friendly observer missions have in the past declared Zimbabwe elections free and fair despite politically motivated violence and gross human rights abuses.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi said Zimbabwe had invited 47 regional and sub-regional organisations as well as countries from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Russia to observe the watershed harmonised elections.

He said the observers were selected on the basis of reciprocity, objectivity and impartiality in their relationship with Zimbabwe.

“Clearly, those who believe that the only free and fair election is where the opposition wins, have been excluded since the ruling party, Zanu (PF), is poised to score yet another triumph,” Mumbengegwi said.

He said the EU and US observers were banned from observing the crucial vote, but the cherry-picking of observers from friendly countries has been questioned by civic and opposition groups.

The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) has strongly condemned what it calls the “arrogance” of the Zimbabwean Government and President Robert Mugabe for reducing the elections to a birthday party where only friends are invited.