Harare Post Reporters
Concerned citizens of Zimbabwe have initiated a petition urging the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to dismiss the SADC Election Observer Mission's (SEOM) report over the recent elections held in Zimbabwe on 23 August, 2023.
The citizens voiced their grievances today during a media briefing at the Media Centre in Harare.
Representing the citizens, Advocate Melisa Dinha, Lloyd Machacha, and Agnes Chikondo, all in their personal capacities, emphasized that the results of the recent Zimbabwean elections should be acknowledged and respected.
Chikondo, reading out the petition to the press, said, "As citizens, we demand that our vote be respected as it was peaceful, free, fair, credible, and in line with our democratic processes. We are ready and willing to work with our elected officials and are looking forward to support from our SADC and African family."
Addressing the nature of the SEOM report, Chikondo further highlighted her concerns.
"By means of this petition, we, the citizens, appeal to SADC to throw away the SEOM report on Zimbabwe's 23 and 24 August 2023 harmonised elections with the contempt it deserves. In fact, the SEOM report is a neo-colonial instrument that tries to reverse the credible vote of the people of Zimbabwe. We further appeal to like-minded Zimbabweans to support this initiative by signing the petition that, going forward, we will circulate online and through hard copies," she asserted.
Nevers Mumba, the SADC Head of Observer Mission, led the team that produced the report on the August elections, a report that Chikondo described as a "neo-colonial instrument" aiming to incite regime change in Zimbabwe.
At the same briefing, Dinha shared their ambitions to collect 200,000 signatures in support of their cause.
Furthermore, the group expressed plans to travel to the SADC headquarters located in Botswana to present the petition personally.
Lloyd Machacha, also present at the conference, remarked on the implications of not contesting Mumba's report.
He said, "If Mumba's report remains unchallenged, then history will judge this generation harshly for allowing outsiders to undermine the sovereignty and democratic electoral processes of our nation."
In the meantime, a wave of support seems to be growing among the populace. Citizens had already begun signing the petition, and based on the current momentum, it appears the goal of 200,000 signatures could be achieved within just a few days.
