The Southern African Development Community secretariat today said its Electoral Observer missions only observe elections.
“SADC DOES NOT conduct elections in its Member States but observes them. We then make recommendations. Understand the role of SADC when it comes to observing elections. Our mandate is only to observe and issue a report,” the secretariat tweeted as it announced the deployment of another mission to observe elections in Eswatini which will be held next week.
The observer mission to Zimbabwe, which was headed by former Zambian Vice-President Nevers Mumba, has been under attack for going beyond its mandate and looking at Zimbabwe’s constitutional issues and the judiciary.
Its preliminary report was, however, welcomed by the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change and Western observer missions including the European Union.
It has not yet been presented to the SADC main body which will present its final report but the secretariat seems to have already set the tone..
Another former Zambian Vice-President Enock Kavindele is heading the mission to Eswatini which is holding its elections on 29 September.
CCC leader Nelson Chamisa is calling for fresh elections based on the findings of the SADC preliminary report.
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