SADC confident of free elections in Zimbabwe

SADC confident of free elections in Zimbabwe

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THE head of the 14 nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc expressed confidence Wednesday that this month's Zimbabwean general elections would be free and fair.

"As we come and observe elections in Zimbabwe, we do so with confidence that the tradition of peace encapsulated in the unquestionable political maturity and tolerance shall, once again guide Zimbabweans as they go to the polls," SADC secretary-general Tomaz Salomao said at a news conference in Harare.

"As observers, we are here today to do our work of observing the electoral process prior, during and post elections. We know our responsibilities and we will confine ourselves within our mandate so that our mission retains its credibility role as has been the case in other similar missions."

Zimbabwe has invited SADC and 46 other teams of monitors from regional groupings such as the African Union as well as from countries including China, Russia and Iran with whom President Robert Mugabe enjoys relatively good relations.

Last week, Zimbabwe's Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi announced that European Union member states and the United States -- which both accused Mugabe of rigging his re-election in 2002 -- had not been invited to monitor voting.

Salomao said his team was in the southern African country "because we have regional responsibility and are duty-bound to participate in the electoral process in Zimbabwe as enshrined in the SADC electoral principles and guidelines governing democratic elections."

Angola's Foreign Minister Joao de Miranda -- who passed on a verbal message from his president, Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, to President Mugabe -- said SADC would deploy 120 observers for the elections.

Miranda later said he received from President Mugabe an assurance that the March 29 elections would be “successful, coherent, transparent and free.” De Miranda is in the country as a representative chairperson of SADC's organ on politics and defence.

Responding to allegations by the EU that the elections would not be free and fair, de Miranda said only observer teams accredited to monitor the polls would determine their credibility.

"Those observing elections inside Zimbabwe can determine if elections are free and fair and not those outside," he said. - AFP
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