SADC makes court final decider on election date again

It is not time to celebrate yet. Three days after the Southern African Development Community special summit on Zimbabwe, there is still no clear cut date on when Harare is expected to hold its elections.

The Zimbabwe Election Commission chief Rita Makarau says until she hears otherwise she is preparing to hold the elections on 31 July.

“As ZEC we are aware of the urgent debate surrounding the holding of elections on 31 July 2013 following the special summit on Zimbabwe held by SADC in Maputo on Saturday 15 June 2013,” she told the media yesterday.

“In calling this meeting today, as in all our other activities, we are being guided by the principle that the date of elections holds until the proclamation fixing it is lawfully rescinded or amended.”

Reports on Saturday said SADC had asked the Zimbabwean government to appeal for a two-week delay but statements from the Movement for Democratic Change say no time limit was fixed by the regional body. The MDC argues that the elections can be delayed up to 31 October.

SADC executive secretary Tomaz Salomão told SW Radio Africa, the date was up to the courts.

“Decisions of courts are to be respected. If the Supreme Court does not accept the appeal then our task is to deploy our observers to ensure that at least the conducive environment to hold credible elections is there. That’s what we can do and we are already preparing for that.”

The same sentiments came from African Union commission chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

“The courts have said the elections must take place. And so do we listen to the courts? Or do we not listen to the courts? I thought a lot of you have always been talking to us about the rule of law and respect for the judiciary. …..So I don’t know. The Zimbabweans must sort it out, whether they listen to the judiciary and go with what the judiciary has said, or whether they ignore it.”

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