SADC observers disown Zimbabwe poll

  1. Posted on Monday 30 June 2008 - 09:03
    conrad
    Image of conrad
    Conrad Dube Mwanawashe, AfricaNews reporter in Harare, Zimbabwe, photo: Kizito Sikuka
    The Southern African Development Community (SADC) observer mission has said that Friday's run off elections in Zimbabwe do not represent the will of the country's people and do not conform to the organisation's principles governing democratic elections.
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    In a hard hitting statement released on Sunday night after serious deliberations among members of the observer mission, SADC said the prevailing environment impinged on the credibility of the electoral process.

    “The process leading up to the presidential run-off elections held on 27 June 2008 did not conform to SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections. The elections did not represent the will of the people of Zimbabwe,” said Jose Marcos Barrica, head of the mission.

    Barrica said the pre-election phase was characterized by politically motivated violence, intimidation, and displacements which impacted negatively on the full participation of citizens in the political process and freedom of association.

    “On numerous occasions victims of politically motivated violence allege that the security forces did very little to stop the violence or arrest the perpetrators of violence. A number of pronouncements were made by both presidential candidates as well as other role players, to the effect that the would not accept and respect the results of the elections.

    The Mission find such pronouncements of this nature contrary to the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections,” aid Barrica.

    The observer mission also noted with concern the disruption of campaigning of the opposition party and the regrettable inaction of the law enforcement agents, despite the court order authorizing such rallies.’

    The condemnation of the elections by SADC marks a departure by the regional body from its normal sympathetic attitude towards Harare authorities. It also follows another condemnation of the election by the Pan African parliamentary observer team which said that the election were not credible, free and fair.

    The mission strongly recommended that the SADC mediation efforts be continued in order to assist in the healing process of Zimbabwe.

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