Need for diplomatic pressure on Zimbabwe

In all this, what looms large once again is that, by declaring the electoral process free, fair and credible at every turn before the official results, SADC has once again been complicity in failing the people of Zimbabwe. According to evidence-based statements by analysts, the South African ANC has failed fundamentally to provide any sort of moral leadership or pressure on President Mugabe.

Faced with this sad scenario, what are the options available to all the stakeholders? There is no doubt that allowing Zanu Pf to solely govern for the next five years would not only ruin the country economically but it will send wrong signals to other troubled nations that leaders can simply stage manage an election and continue ruling despite their history of massive human rights violations. This paper shall not document the violations and electoral irregularities as these have been amply catalogued elsewhere. Suffice it that Zanu pf harvested most of its landslide victories in the hard-to-reach provinces where both the opposition and civil society groups had been denied access to mobilise, educate and inform. These are information-starved ghettos where people feast on nothing but Zanu PF propaganda of fear and paranoia.

It is also clear that in urban centers where voters are well educated and well informed on choices , the opposition fared well, for example Bulawayo and Harare. The question now is, ‘Should Zimbabwe’s future be determined by information-starved folk who live in information starved ghettos of fear and propaganda or should it be decided by well informed citizens, especially the younger generation in urban areas?’ Democracy is fundamentally premised on making informed choices according to the Crisis pre-election Report.

As the civil society moot options, and as the opposition mull over its future, there is a clear door of opportunity for the international community to step in where SADC and the AU have failed Zimbabwe. There is need for courage and moral leadership. Now is not the hour for Europe to shy away from its responsibility. It is the right time for the international community to tear its diplomatic template on Zimbabwe that ‘we will offer support to SADC and stand guided by its wisdom’, because SADC has clearly reneged on its duty.

It is also not the time for Britain to retreat when others remind it of its colonial past. We are glad that Britain appear to have been the first nation to make some form of interim statement voicing concerns that Zimbabwe had not enacted important electoral reform, that large numbers of voters had been turned away, late publication of the electoral roll and that “Any judgment on the credibility of elections will need to take these factors into account.”

Also the EU must follow through on its interim statement by making a thorough investigation, needs and risk assessment to enable it to formulate a well thought out response. The indicators they had set for reengagement appear not to be relevant now as they have been overtaken by events, particularly that Mugabe has not used violence but electoral manipulation this time around.

In a show of support Virgin boss, Richard Branson says South Africa and the international community must be brave enough to speak out against what he called unfair elections in Zimbabwe. He said “Zimbabwe has the potential to become a great country once again and its people deserve the chance for their voices to be heard. It is critical South Africa and the international community are brave enough to speak out against Mugabe and these unfair elections,” he said in a statement.He added: “The foundation of any democracy is free, fair, credible elections. From those on the ground in Zimbabwe, it seems the elections there are anything but free and fair. “

Although the USA, as far as we are aware, hasn’t made a statement, the USA Ambassador to Harare said this on his Facebook page ‘What a fascinating time to be in Zimbabwe! All I know for certain tonight is that tomorrow the sun will rise in the east, illuminate and warm an astonishingly beautiful country and her 12 million wonderful people, and will set in the west. I will never be without hope for this lovely country. Or my own’.

The above are very beautiful words of hope from the representative of the World’s most powerful nation in Zimbabwe. However we urge the USA not to whisper on the issue but make a bold statement. Judging by what is happening in Syria where geopolitical considerations are taking pre eminence over the international responsibility to protect, we are yet to see what sort of support Zimbabwe will get from the BRICS. Our message to the BRICS including South Africa is that 'You owe it to the people of Zimbabwe, do the right thing'.