“The world is watching you, watching Zimbabwe to see that the will of the people is respected,” said Membe, who is also the Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
He was representing President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania who is the current Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
“As the world watches, it expects to see free, fair and credible elections in Zimbabwe, as that will also make the work of the SADC observer mission very simple,” he added.
Membe declared that SADC would “accept the outcome of the poll where the will of the people will prevail”.
In 2008, the regional bloc concluded that the presidential run-off that followed an inconclusive first round in March of the same year was not legitimate, forcing President Robert Mugabe, who was the uncontested winner when MDC’s Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out, to negotiate a coalition government with his political foes.
The SEOM head also called for unity ahead of the election, saying the mission would “seek to encourage the nation to stay united in spite of the political differences and affiliation”.
He called on law enforcement, polling and political party agents to exercise restraint to ensure that voters had unfettered access to voting facilities because “that is what will make this election free and fair”.
In his brief speech, Membe called on political parties and other electoral stakeholders to sensitive people to turn up in large numbers to vote on election day and urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to ensure poll credibility and transparency.
“Zimbabweans, don’t let yourselves down. I wish to encourage and add my voice to the plea of the political leadership in this country to exercise political tolerance and ensure peace before, during and after the July 31 Harmonised election,” Membe said.
He added that that SADC had over the years assumed an active role in trying to solve the political problems in Zimbabwe even though “the fire keeps coming back”.
Membe revealed that SADC had deployed 442 observers to cover all the polling stations in Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces.
“The number is small compared to the number of polling stations in the 210 constituencies and the challenges that come with that come with election observation, but it is composed of distinctly qualified observers. Although small, it will come up with super and detailed reports,” said Membe.
More than six million people, says ZEC, are now on the voters’ roll.
Since 2000, Zimbabwe has been locked in an acute political crisis, with SADC coming in as a guarantor of a roadmap towards free and fair elections that would usher in a new political dispensation.
In his speech ahead of Membe, the SADC Executive Secretary, Tomaz Salomao, described the coming election as a landmark event.
“The election marks a new era towards achieving peace for sustainable development,” said Salomao.
The launch was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, and representatives of diplomatic missions.
Post published in: News
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