SADC ambassadors endorse Zimbabwe ‘free and fair elections’
President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe has been commended by nine accredited ambassadors of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) for organizing peaceful, free, fair, and credible elections in August.
On Wednesday, the ambassadors paid Mnangagwa a courtesy call at the State House, with the Angolan ambassador to Zimbabwe, Agostinho da Silva Tavares, leading the group.
“We thank the President for receiving us today despite his busy schedule. We are nine SADC countries accredited in Zimbabwe. (The countries included Malawi, Angola, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, Eswatini and Zimbabwe)
“We are all here to congratulate the President for a very peaceful election, fair, free and transparent,” Tavares said after the meeting.
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The Chairman of the SADC Ambassador added, “We came to reiterate our support to the people of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is not alone. We are one family at SADC and Zimbabwe is one of the members that fund SADC. It is part of the frontline SADC countries. We just came here to support the President of Zimbabwe and its people.”
Nine SADC ambassadors congratulate @edmnangagwa for a ‘free, fair, peaceful & credible election’
“We are all here to cobgratulate @edmnangagwa for a peaceful, fair free and transparent election,” said Angolan ambassador to Zimbabwe after a courtesy call at state house today pic.twitter.com/XE2tJlHBWV
— NewZimbabwe.com (@NewZimbabweCom) November 22, 2023
During the deliberations at State House, Mnangagwa who is the incoming SADC chair said the bloc’s countries were collectively united by unbreakable bonds cemented by historical, cultural and family ties, being one people.
“This unity, love and common purpose among our countries, must be nurtured and defended for shared peace and stability as well as the socio-economic development and prosperity of our people.
“May I thank Ambassador Agostinho da Silva and your esteemed colleagues for initiating this courtesy call on me, to congratulate the people of Zimbabwe for holding free, fair, credible, and peaceful 2023 harmonised general elections,” he said.
However, the opposition did not accept the result but did not challenge the winner in the local courts.
In its final report, SADC EOM said the election did not meet international standards and principles.
Last week, the European Union (EU) Election Observation Mission (EOM) in its final report said the election was flawed.
The Zimbabwean government hit back at both reports saying they were crafted by one person with an agenda to tarnish its image.
Information Minister Jenfan Muswere at a recent press conference called the EU EOM final report “biased and misleading”.
