By Kwedu News
Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Honourable Amon Murwira says observer missions should not stray from their mandate when conducting their duties as witnessed in the recent August 23 Harmonised Elections.
Addressing foreign Ambassadors accredited to Zimbabwe on Sunday (27/08/2023) Minister Murwira said Zimbabwe is disturbed by the contents of some preliminary reports made by some observers, urging them to respect the sovereignty of the country, inline with SADC guidelines.
“As impartial Observers with clear and specific mandate, we believe Electoral Observation Missions should operate within their given mandate, which is to observe and recommend areas that need improvement.
“We believe that constructive and progressive comments on the manner in which we organised and conducted our 2023 Harmonised Elections is healthy and welcome, and falls within the realm of all Observer Missions that we invited,” Minister Murwira said.
Like his counter part, the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Hon. Ziyambi Ziyambi, Murwira accused the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) of bias in their preliminary statement on the August, 23 harmonised elections, reiterating that President Emmerson Mnangagwa won the election.
“It goes without saying Zimbabwe enjoyed peace before the election, during the election and continues to enjoy peace and tranquillity in the post-election period in line with the clarion call of His Excellency the President Cde Dr E.D. Mnangagwa.
“Your Excellencies, it is now common knowledge that the full results of the Harmonised Elections were announced last night by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
“We take this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency the President, Cde Dr E. D. Mnangagwa and all the successful parliamentary and local government candidates in the harmonised election.
“…SADC’s mission is to foster peace and security as the prerequisite for regional integration and development to achieve a common future.
“However, we are disturbed by some aspects of the SEOM report which deviate from the spirit, intent and mandate of the SADC Observer Mission as outlined in the SADC Guidelines which Zimbabwe has fully domesticated.
“It is our understanding that SADC respects the sovereignty of Member States and that SEOM as its subsidiary operates within the confines of the constitutions and laws of Member States, which are passed by sovereign Parliaments,” Hon. Murwira said.
He said it is not in the ‘remit of SEOM to question or interfere in
Member States Constitutions, laws, and court decisions’.
“Unfortunately, in some areas cited in the report, this (impartiality and information validation) did not happen resulting in the views of a partisan nature being presented in the preliminary report as facts,” Minister Murwira said.
He said some of the issues raised in the SEOM preliminary statement were already discussed and settled during the 43rd SADC Summit held in Luanda, Angola, where Zimbabwe briefed Heads of state and government on Zimbabwe’s preparedness to conduct the harmonised elections.
“Summit took note and praised Zimbabwe on the fact that all outstanding issues that had been raised by SEAC in April 2023 had been fully addressed in accordance with Zimbabwe’s Constitution and Electoral Laws.
“These included the delimitation of constituencies, availability of electronic voters roll and voting status. Summit acknowledged this update and wished Zimbabwe a peaceful election,” Hon. Murwira said.
“We therefore find it puzzling that the SEOM considered it appropriate to reopen debate on issues of a purely domestic nature which had been long concluded by the appropriate authorities in Zimbabwe and which summit in Luanda had noted and adopted,” he added.
Minister Murwira also retorted on the delimitation and disqualification of Saviour Kasukuwere from the Presidential race.
“Statements such as the ‘delimitation was a flawed and unconstitutionally executed process, that Kasukuwere’s disqualification was unconstitutional’, are most unhelpful.
“The Kasukuwere case was concluded by a Constitutional Court judgement. This also includes unhelpful comments that the so called “Patriotic Bill” was unconstitutional as it attacks the freedom of speech.
“Such statements, intentionally or unintentionally, cast aspersions on the integrity of Zimbabwe’s public institutions and create doubt in the populace,” he said.
The Minister said some errors cited in the SEOM report will be corrected to strengthen the electoral processes of SADC member states, Zimbabwe included.
ZEC gazettes Mnangagwa as President elect as regional leaders continue congratulating his victory
By Delicious Mathuthu
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has officially gazetted Emmerson Mnangagwa as President elect on Wednesday (30/08/2023) following the August 23 harmonised election as congratulatory messages from regional leaders and organisation continue trickling in.
Dispite the main opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), disputing the outcome of the election, in an Extraordinary Government Gazette (Vol. CI, No. 90) General Notice 1380A of 2023, ZEC Chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba, notified that, with effect from Saturday 26 August 2023, President Mnangagwa is the President elect for the coming 5 years, in line with the Electoral Act Chapter 2:13.
“It is hereby notified, in terms of section 110(3) (j) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], that Mnangagwa Emmerson Dambudzo of ZANU (PF) Party has, with effect from the 26th of August 2023, been duly elected as the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe,” reads part of the notice by Justice Chigumba.
According to released ZEC figures, President Mnangagwa, representing the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) garnered 52.6 percent against his main contender, Nelson Chamisa of the CCC who is said received 44 percent.
Several regional and international leaders, diplomats and organisations have began congratulating President Mnangagwa on his election victory despite the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Elections Observer Mission (SEOM) and other international observer bodies refusing to endorse the plebiscite.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Cyrial Ramaphosa the President of South Africa, Namibia’s Dr. Hage Geingob, Palestine’s Mahmoud Abbas, Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Fikile Mbalula are some of the leaders that have sent their congratulatory messages.
Through her X (twitter) handle, President Saluhu was one of the first to wish President Mnangagwa well on his second term.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to His Excellency President @edmnangagwa, on being re-elected as the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
“I am looking forward to continuing working together in fostering the historic, economic and diplomatic relations between Tanzania and Zimbabwe,” she said.
Namibian President Dr Hage Geingob wished President Mnangagwa wisdom in his new term, saying he is looking forward to working closely with him to advance bilateral relations between the two nations, and shared regional development agendas.
Ramaphosa said “I congratulate President Emmerson Mnangagwa on his re-election. I wish him and the people of Zimbabwe well for the upcoming term,”
Russian President Putin said Zimbabwe and his country enjoy a good friendship.
“Please accept the heartfelt congratulations on your re-election as the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. Russia and Zimbabwe enjoy the relations of friendship…,” he said
President Abbas said it is his great pleasure to “express to Your Excellency our heartfelt congratulations, for your re-election as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe for a new term of office.”
President Mnangagwa received 2 350 711 ahead of Chamisa’s 1 967 343 votes
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