Presenting the regional grouping’s final report in Harare, Tanzanian Foreign Affairs Minister, Bernard Membe, said President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF would rule for the next century if targeted sanctions are not removed.
“On the issue of sanctions I will speak from the bottom of my heart. The opposition, if they are in this conference room, they should begin working with Zanu (PF) if they are entertaining any thoughts of taking power in 2018.
“If they do not, this party (Zanu PF) will rule for another 100 years. I am giving them advice to take power. Sanctions will never work as a tool to win elections; they have never worked,” Membe said struggling to hold back laughter.
He also called for the closure of exiled radio station and in typical Zimbabwean government language called them “pirate radio stations”.
“In trying to gauge the fairness of this election, the Sadc Election Observer Mission (SEOM) focused its attention among others on the state media, pirate radio stations and the voters roll.
“SEOM noted the media (pirate and state) were highly polarised and for the most part biased along political party lines. In this regard SEOM received accusations and counter accusations from contesting parties and saw merit in them,” the SADC report said.
The SEOM head said SADC would order the closure of pirate stations operating within the region and send emissaries to foreign governments hosting “hostile” media broadcasting into Zimbabwe.
“To this end SEOM recommends that ZEC implements the letter and spirit of Chapter 12 part 5, section 248 of the constitution on media reform to be read together with the electoral act section 160 (E) to 160 (H) ‘public broadcasters shall afford all political parties and independent candidates contesting in an election such free access to their broadcasting service as may be prescribed,’ SEOM recommends that the pirate media should end their operations forthwith,” he said.
Membe said the elections, while being free, peaceful and generally credible, failed to pass as fair.
“Our observers on the ground reported complaints related to the delay in issuing the voters roll on time and even in those areas where the roll was issued a few days before, people had no access to it until voting day,” said Membe.
On the credibility of the elections, Sadc said while it also agreed with reservations from other stakeholders, “there were many elements that when put together elevated the election to a credible status.”
Post published in: News
If the so called SADC observer Team (composed of 25 members)says ZANU(PF) will rule for the next 100 years, one can not help but say they are STUPID. Their brief was to observe the elections and adjudge their purity in all aspects.By commenting on issues pertaining to ZANU(PF)they succeed, unconsciously, in exposing themselves as having been a latent ZANU(PF) component made worse by the fact they also refer to the so called sanctions which are only alluded to, to cover up Mugabe’s failures. Mr Membe and your team are myopic, subjective and have only shown that their mission was simply to rubber stamp a decision already agreed on – a fait accompli. Whatever your biased and partisan judgement, the fact still remains the election results do not reflect the will of the people of Zimbabwe especially the 95% unemployed and will not be recognised by the people who matter, not these SADC stooges.It is no wonder Africa fails to develop because it cannot, particularly with double chinned leaders some of whom are in SADC. SHAME on you!
Africa is a shame. My heart bleeds on how the whole continent stifles democracy.
Now havent SADC nailed their colours to the mast? There is absolutely NOTHING neutral about them. I am disgusted and utterly disappointed. They clearly do not have the people at heart. Our God reigns!