But their half-hearted – some would say incompetent – intervention is hardly what we find most reprehensible about SADC and its point man on Zimbabwe, President Jacob Zuma’s handling of the political crisis in Harare.
What is truly shameful is that through their infuriatingly tepid and ultimately ineffective intervention, the regional leaders have been able to deceive Africa and the rest of the world that they are actually doing something to fix the problem.
They have told everyone else to keep their hands off Zimbabwe (read President Robert Mugabe) because it is their mandate as immediate neighbours to deal with the problem.
They have made us believe they are implementing African solutions to an African problem – even as Mugabe has openly embarrassed them by refusing to fully implement the global political agreement, rein in his terror gangs or summon his military generals away from the political arena and back to barracks.
Put differently, regional leaders have not only failed in more than 10 years to pressure Mugabe and Zanu (PF) to accept a democratic solution to Zimbabwe’s political crisis. They have stood in the way of those from elsewhere in Africa and the wider international community who were and are willing to help us.
And the time has come for Zimbabweans to say enough is enough of this SADC nonsense. All progressive Zimbabweans must rise and demand that this week’s summit in Angola must deliver a robust programme of action to support the people’s legitimate demands for true democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
This means no more deadlines from SADC that everyone knows will not be met. No more meaningless slogans urging Zimbabwe’s political parties to resolve their differences. And no more calls for election roadmaps that anyone who can think will tell you will be sabotaged by the likes of Brigadier General Douglass Nyikayaramba and the other Zanu (PF) political commissars masquerading as professional soldiers.
The time is now for SADC to bite the bullet and demand the restructuring and reformation of Zimbabwe’s security forces – without which there can be no true democracy, let alone free and fair elections in this country.
A new constitution, human rights commission, media commission, electoral commission and even the so-called election roadmap are all important to ensuring a successful democratic transition in Zimbabwe. But how to prevent the Joint Operations Command from vetoing the will of the people as it did in 2008 is the most urgent matter facing Zimbabwe today.
Either SADC confronts this matter head-on this week or they do us a favour and move aside and let those who can – take over.
Post published in: Editor: Wilf Mbanga