Zimbabwe to lead Sadc Electoral Observer Mission

Published: 06 October 2019
ZIMBABWE will lead the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) to the presidential, provincial and legislative elections to be held on Tuesday in Mozambique.

In a statement yesterday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade spokesperson Mr Shepherd Gwenzi said Zimbabwe, as chair of the Sadc Organ on Politics Defence and Security Co-operation was mandated to lead the mission.

"As mandated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa the chairperson of the Sadc Organ on Politics Defence and Security Cooperation, the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri will lead the SEOM to Mozambique from 2-22 October this year," said Mr Gwenzi.

He said the core mandate of the SEOM was to determine the adherence of Mozambique to democratic values and principles envisioned in the Sadc Treaty, Protocol, Defence and Security Co-operation, as well as the provisions of the revised Sadc principles and guidelines, governing democratic elections (2015).

"Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri will work closely with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the elections are conducted in a free, fair and credible manner and in accordance with domestic and Sadc relevant statuses. Elections will be observed based on a three-phase approach. The pre-election, elections and post-election phase," said Mr Gwenzi.

He said Muchinguri-Kashiri is also expected to launch SEOM in Mozambique tomorrow and to release the preliminary statement on the conduct of the elections on Thursday.

"The head of mission will be accompanied by Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo, who is the alternate head of mission and other senior Government officials. According to the report of the Sadc Electorate Advisory Council (SEAC) goodwill mission to Mozambique, the country is ready and prepared to conduct elections as scheduled," said Mr Gwenzi.

In June, President Mnagangwa took over as chair of Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation at the regional summit which was held in Tanzania. The Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation is managed on a Troika basis and is responsible for promoting peace and security in the Sadc region. It is co-ordinated at the level of Summit, consisting of a chairperson, incoming chairperson and outgoing chairperson, and reports to the Sadc Summit chairperson.
- sundaynews
Tags: Sadc,

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