via SADC compromised African democracy: Biti | The Zimbabwean by Sofia Mapuranga
The Movement for Democratic Change has accused the Southern Africa Development Community of setting a bad precedent for the promotion of democratic principles in the region following recent announcements by its head of Election Observer Mission, Bernard Mwembe, endorsing the recent elections as credible, free and fair.
Addressing journalists at the party’s headquarters in Harare today, Secretary General Tendai Biti said his party had written to SADC seeking a retraction of Mwembe’s statements after consultations with the SADC Secretariat, South Africa and other countries in the region had revealed that Mwembe’s statement was not in tandem with the final report that is yet to be released.
“His (Mwembe)’s credibility is questionable considering that SADC as an association has not yet finished compiling the final report regarding the just ended harmonised elections. His statements are based on the preliminary report that was released by SADC on August, 2,” he said.
SADC deployed 573 election observers from its affiliate member states during the polls: the biggest deployment in the history of the regional bloc.
Biti said the sudden u-turn by SADC to endorse the elections was reflective that there was ‘fear among member states that they cannot let their nationalist brother (President Robert Mugabe) down’.
He revealed that his party had consulted with the SADC Secretariat in Botswana, South Africa and other neighbours who had confirmed that Mwembe’s statement was not endorsed by other African countries making up the election observer mission.
“Endorsing this sham process is lowering the standards of democratic elections not only for the MDC but for Africans especially those that are set to hold their polls in the near future such as Malawi and South Africa,” said Biti.
The MDC accused Mwembe of delivering a report that was not accurate, not comprehensive and which failed to address the fundamental issues that determine the freeness, fairness and credibility of the polls.
“The recent released summary of the report is not a SADC report but one emanating from the Tanzanian minister of Foreign Affairs,” said Biti.
“It is self-contradictory, inconsistent and incoherent considering that it does not address the SADC guidelines governing the conduct of democratic elections.
Since the announcement of election results proclaiming Mugabe as the ultimate winner of the July 31 elections, opposition parties have come out guns blazing describing the whole electoral process as ‘flawed by serious irreguralities hence compromising the election outcome’.
COMMENTS
My confusion is why Mr. Biti , did the MDC agree to participate in this election when so much was still to be adopted by ZanuPF for it to be FAIR … You have failed to answer this question as a party to date … It is time you answered it …. Stop hiding behind senseless essays …. Answer the bloody question.
Remember last time when MDC withdrew its participation from the elections all of you were up in arms blaming them for not participating.Dont blame the fish for being poisoned in its pond blame the applicant of the poison MUGABE ne ZANU makwara , madofo, mapenzi, vapambi,mazimbimbindoga varidzi vehuwori hwekupedzisira varevi venhema
Some black pple never learn(MDC),just becoz u knew pple wanted change and some of u guys were power hungry. U decided to ignore ADVICE that were going to put u into government had u been patient.
What is the best way forward? Are we going to stand aside and look? I think it’s time MDC T has to learn from mistakes made and prepare for the next move.I think the only way to beat Zanu PF in any election is when opposition parties in Zim can form one coalition opposition party.The division of MDC into two cost a lot and if this remains,it will be a dream for any opposition party to rule Zim and bring democratic change we believe in.Diaspora eye!
diasporaz , well said , the opposition in Zimbabwe need to stop behaving like spoilt children, get off your fat arses and do something constructive, build a meaningful opposition and stop thinking of yourselves ….
One of the first things the Zimbabwe opposition need to do, is lobby all opposition parties in SADC to reinstate the SADC tribunal, without an independent SADC tribunal the people of southern Africa will never have legitimate recourse to freedom and justice
stop thinking of enriching yourselves; change the leadership – tsvanirai did his best but can not continue to lead as his time is over both from a democratic point of view and also from the pespective that he faied to heed ppl’s calls not to participate in the shameful elections in which change would not come. think of coalition with those parties who are serious. no cheating can thwart the will of the majority. if you run a governmnt that spends 3quarters of its budget on salaries or allow a president and his cronies to line up their pockets, then stop dreaming that you will bring change.
I AGREE MORGAN WAS TO IMPATIENT HE WENT IN BLIND, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE ANOTHER LEADER MOVING FORWARD TO GET THAT OLD OLD OLD OLD OLD OLD FOOL OUT OF OFFICE….I MEANT DONT YOU FEEL EMBARRESED THAT HE IS THE OLDEST HEAD OF STATE IN THE WORLD HE GETS ON THE PDIUM AND WOBBLES AND NEARLY FALLS BACKWARD AND THEN FORWARD….
Don’t put words in peoples mouth live tsvangira alone if it was not him you all zimbwabween you could not manage to do what you are dowing know you were living in a country with no food no money make fake money from news paper we’re have you see money throne away in your life