SADC clears Zimbabwe elections

Leaders of the Southern African Development Community troika who met yesterday vowed to stand by Zimbabwe and ensure a vote that will be credible enough when the country holds its elections in 10 days.

“We have committed to work with the people of Zimbabwe and see whatever we can do to make sure within the remaining 11 days, we can have an election that is going to be credible enough,” Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete said after the meeting. “I believe we will.”

SADC’s decision clears the way for elections as the African Union has already said that Zimbabwe is ready to hold free and fair elections and has the funds for the elections.

The decision by the SADC troika was a blow to civic organisations and Western countries that are churning out reports that the country is not ready, the voters’ roll is in shambles and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission does not have the capacity to hold elections.

Kikwete said SADC would have wished the elections were postponed as per its decision in Maputo because putting together an election within a month is stressful. SADC wanted them pushed back by two weeks.

But looking back at Zimbabwe’s history, the date for elections has in most cases been set a month or two before the polls with the exception of the 2005 elections when Mugabe announced a year before the polls that they would be held in March.

Even the elections that ushered Zimbabwe’s independence were held a month after Mugabe’s return from Mozambique. Mugabe, the last leader to return to the country from exile, retuned on 27 January and the elections were held from 27-29 February, but they were ruled to be free and fair by international observers.

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