Joseph Madzimure and Trust Freddy
A PRELIMINARY report presented by the Head of the SADC Observer Mission, Dr Nevers Mumba, on the Zimbabwean elections conducted this week does not reflect the SADC Electoral Principles and Guidelines on the conduct of elections, but his own personal opinion to discredit the country’s polls, Zanu PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa, has said.
Speaking at a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Cde Mutsvangwa said Dr Mumba should immediately stop interfering in Zimbabwe’s domestic affairs as they are outside the purview of his mandate.
“Coming to the SADC principles, we want to make it very clear, they are a product of the member states of SADC, they are not administered by a particular individual who may become the head of a delegation.
“He is only on what is called an (envoy), a delegated responsibility, so we hear of a certain head of delegation from a certain country, from a SADC mission, without prior consultation with his colleagues, without fellow observers’ missions from SADC member states, without even having given reports back to their countries, he decides to delve into matters which have nothing to do with his mandate.”
SADC, Cde Mutsvangwa added, has several committees which deal with various issues that may arise in the region and such matters are not communicated by individuals like Dr Mumba.
“It even has a constitutional review committee within its ambit, if anybody has got issues with Zimbabwe’s laws, that is the relevant body within SADC to come and question the statutes of the sovereign state of Zimbabwe on a peer to peer basis as fellow countries accede to the SADC Protocol on Unity of Co-operation.
“It is not the duty of a particular individual to arrogate to himself, the role of the constitutional review committee on the laws of Zimbabwe.
“So Mr Nevers Mumba from Zambia we call you to order, don’t delve into the laws of Zimbabwe, if you have got issues with those matters tell your relevant institutions not the SADC Observer Mission. Those relevant institutions will take it up with the SADC secretariat,” he said.
Cde Mutsvangwa said Dr Mumba is a well-known preacher hence he was seen hobnobbing with the opposition CCC which is also led by a wannabe preacher Mr Nelson Chamisa.
“Otherwise you know that he is a preacher, he has got his friends and he was seen hobnobbing and accosting himself with CCC, we don’t think that is what Zambia stands for, he even goes further to try to make an issue about civic organisations and chooses to align with others in Zimbabwe”.
Cde Mutsvangwa accused Dr Mumba of being biased on issues related to the participation of civic organisations in electoral processes.
“He favours Zesn (Zimbabwe Election Support Network) and others and he castigates FAZ (Forever Associates of Zimbabwe) on the other hand, which is a bias. I want to remind you, America had a civil war in 1861 because of the duty to protect the unity of America. Certain of its students decided to form an American National Rifle Association (NRA), it’s a historical organ of the American revolution. Today the NRA is one of the most active of American civic bodies to the extent that it now decides to lobby for certain politicians with a bias towards the Republicans. Observe polls with an open mind, and like a moving vehicle, stay in your lane,” he said.
Cde Mutsvangwa said Dr Mumba abused his role as the head of the SADC Observer Mission.
“We await the outcome of the elections and, we as Zanu PF, will not interfere,” he said.
Cde Mutsvangwa reminded Dr Mumba that Zimbabwe and Zambia enjoy cordial relations which date back to the liberation struggle.
“Our original training came from Zambia and Tanzania. Mr Mumba should go and read the history of this country. It’s not your duty to be a constitutional making body of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a sovereign state and can’t be challenged by those who harbour Western interests. The Zimbabwe state is sacrosanct and we fear no state,” he said.