Whilst a lot of progress has been made on the concept of regional economic and political integration within the SADC region over the past few decades, there is a lot of ground that can still be covered to ensure that the more than 220 million citizens of SADC enjoy the full benefits of regional economic and political integration.
In particular, we would like to applaud SADC for the Revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections that were adopted in Pretoria on July 20, 2015. Clause 5.1 of these Revised Guidelines specifically states that member states shall commit to implementing interventions designed to promote democratic principles and practices. Member states shall make every effort to ensure the scrupulous implementation of the principles for holding democratic elections.
Elections will soon be held in Angola and we are hopeful that these elections shall be free and fair and that the elections will give the people of Angola the right and freedom to freely and fairly choose a government of their choice. As a social democratic political party, the MDC takes note of the fact that elections in Zimbabwe have frequently been marred by serious electoral irregularities such as intimidation of voters and blatant vote rigging as was the case in the July 2013 harmonised elections.
We would like to call upon SADC to do whatever is within its power to ensure that next year’s elections in Zimbabwe be held in a free and fair environment that will guarantee a credible outcome.
From the year 2000, elections in Zimbabwe have always invariably be marred by allegations of serious electoral malpractices. We now look forward to the holding of elections whose outcome would not be subject to contestation. Millions of Zimbabweans have settled in the Diaspora including neighbouring countries such as South Africa, Botswana and Namibia as they escaped both political persecution and the economic meltdown back home.
Occasionally, Zimbabweans living outside the country, particularly in South Africa, have been unfortunate victims of xenophobic attacks. The MDC would like to call upon SADC to ensure that the scourge of xenophobia is totally eliminated from the SADC region.
Africa is rising and there is absolutely no doubt that SADC, a sub – region within Africa, is also rising. We look forward to living in a SADC region that enjoys political stability and socio–economic development and prosperity.
MDC: Equal Opportunities for All
Obert Chaurura Gutu
MDC National Spokesperson
SADC leaders lost all confidence in MDC leaders after the latter failed to get even one democratic reform implemented during the GNU. Tsvangirai and company made the bad situation even worse by contesting the July 2013 elections even after SADC leaders warned them the elections would be rigged.
The only thing “pro-active” SADC leaders can do right now in response to MDC-T’s call is for the regional body to make it clear that it is not going to accept another sham elections in Zimbabwe even if the opposition do the usual foolish thing and contest.
The continued political paralysis and economic meltdown in Zimbabwe are dragging the country and the whole region into dangerous waters of political instability. SADC made the big mistake of trusting MDC leaders with the important task of implemented the democratic reforms, it is now clear they are too corrupt and incompetent to do this. SADC must seize back the initiative and make it clear they want to see the democratic reforms implemented before the next elections, period!
Zimbabwe’s politicians must think all of us are complete idiots!
“We would like to call upon SADC to do whatever is within its power to ensure that next year’s elections in Zimbabwe be held in a free and fair environment that will guarantee a credible outcome,” Gutu tells us.
If he Gutu was not taking us all for fools then he must answer the following questions:
1) It was in MDC’s power during the GNU to implement the democratic reforms and thus ensure free and fair elections in 2013 and thereafter. Why did MDC fail to get even one reform implemented in five years?
2) SADC leaders warned Gutu and the other MDC leaders not to contest the July 2013 elections; it was clear, with no reforms, Zanu PF will rig the vote. Why did MDC leaders disregard the warning and contest the elections?
3) Everyone knows that since the rigged July 2013 elections, not even one reform has been implemented and it is now too late to expect any reform to be implemented. So, why is MDC contesting the flawed elections again?
4) What else, other than advise us not to contest flawed elections, does MDC want or expect SADC to do to ensure next year’s elections are free and fair?
A politician’s work is never done! In this case, MDC politicians will never ever implement the democratic reforms to ensure free, fair and credible elections because all they will ever do is pay lip service to democratic change when they are seeking the people’s votes. Each time they get into power and it is within their power to effect change, as happened during the GNU, they will be distracted and forget about reforms.
If the people of Zimbabwe want free, fair and credible elections then the people themselves, not the opposition much less Zanu PF, who must champion the cause and see the task through. This is the one task the politicians will never ever accomplish because, if accomplished, this will represent the most significant seismic political change in the country’s political history – the people will finally hold the politicians to democratic account.