SADC concludes election assessment mission

Harare (New Ziana) – A Southern African Development Community (SADC) pre-election assessment mission concluded its visit to Zimbabwe on Thursday, and will now report its finding to the regional group, ahead of general elections in the country mid-year.

The mission held consultations with various stakeholders, including political parties, media and civil society groups, in its assessment of the political climate in the country ahead of the polls.

It is on the basis of its findings that the regional group will make a decision regarding Zimbabwe’s readiness to hold elections.

Chairman of the mission, Judge Ticheme Dlamini told journalists the findings of the mission were yet to be made public, contrary to some reports.

“The purpose of the mission is to inform the SEAC of the views of the stakeholders in Zimbabwe with respect to the conduct of the General Elections scheduled for July/August 2023. It is important to note that contrary to some press reports, the SEAC has not yet made a formal announcement on the readiness or otherwise of Zimbabwe to conduct the elections,” he said.

He said the mission will finish its report in two weeks, and present this to SADC’s Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation.

But Dlamini said the consultations with stakeholders had been successful, and also included SADC ambassadors and UN agencies and the European Union.

“The next mission to come here to Zimbabwe now will be the mission that is to cover the election process, but again on that mission we will be conducting similar engagements with stakeholders whom we have just met, because at that point in time a lot would have taken place so we need to be updated,” he said.

New Ziana