“Two key meetings held virtually made notable references to the election; the first was an Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit chaired by President of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, which primarily addressed the security situation in the eastern DRC and provided an update on the Sadc Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC). The second meeting was the Extraordinary Council of Ministers’ Meeting, where the draft budget for SAMIDRC was reviewed,” said Prof. Moyo.
He further added that President Hichilema acknowledged the relevance of elections in the region when he said, "It was good to get updates on previous and upcoming elections in our region.”
Another political analyst, Tatenda Saide, commented that the Chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers, representing Angola, expressed congratulations to Zimbabwe for conducting its election in a peaceful manner.
“The Chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers is on record saying that Zimbabwe held its elections in a climate of peace and tranquilly, in line with the Constitution and the principles and guidelines governing the holding of elections in the SADC region.
“This acknowledgement carries significant weight, as Angola currently holds the position of SADC Chair, an indication that SADC has moved on from Zimbabwe’s 2023 Harmonised Elections,” added Saide.
Reiterating the same point, Professor Moyo also emphasised that the SADC Chair had the final say.
"That is very significant, as Angola is the current SADC Chair. What makes this recognition even more noteworthy is the fact that the SADC Council of Ministers, chaired by Angola, is responsible for preparing and reviewing the agenda of SADC summits. This suggests a consensus among SADC member states regarding Zimbabwe's election, emphasising its compliance with regional electoral principles,” Prof. Moyo said.
In conclusion, it is clear that SADC has moved forward regarding Zimbabwe’s 2023 harmonised general election. While the final report of the SADC Election Observation Mission [SEOM] is yet to be tabled for noting at the next Ordinary SADC Summit scheduled for August 2024, SADC's acknowledgment of Zimbabwe's election compliance reflects a cooperative spirit among member states.
