Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

Youth Forum Zimbabwe statement of the 2013 harmonised elections
Youth Forum
August 18, 2013

View this article on the Youth Forum website

Following the recently held Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in Lilongwe, Malawi and the subsequent withdrawal of the 2013 election petition by the MDC-T last Friday it is with no doubt that the country have to move forward in its developmental programs and put the election results debacle behind us.

SADC, the African Union and other observers that included Comesa have in their reports declared the polls credible, free and fair.

We urge the Western countries to support the positions of the regional groupings like SADC, COMESA and African Union who had observers on the ground, as they said before the elections and Youth Forum Zimbabwe urges the people to remain peaceful.

In this background the Youth Forum Zimbabwe wishes to congratulate the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for discharging its responsibilities diligently despite severe constraints it faced and notes with satisfaction the peaceful atmosphere that characterised the period before, during and after the elections.

All Zimbabweans have a responsibility to nurture this peaceful environment and desist from any actions which may directly or indirectly interfere with the peace prevailing in the country. Given the peaceful nature of these elections and the compelling need to move forward, the Youth Forum Zimbabwe urges the losers to concede defeat and collectively move the country towards the developmental trajectory.

The 2013 harmonised general elections complaints must be taken into account for the next elections and for the reform agenda which remains very much incomplete. It is not progressive to encourage a state of affairs in our country where political parties participate in an election with only two scenarios: either they win or they dispute the result.

Youth Forum Zimbabwe believes the interests of this country require that we all move forward focusing on building the economy of the country, deepening its democratic systems, promoting peace and unity and encouraging all of us to participate in the public affairs of our country.

ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau on August 4 declared President Mugabe as duly elected President of Zimbabwe. President Mugabe won 61,09 percent of the votes, while Mr Tsvangirai got 33,94 percent. Zanu-PF also won a two-thirds majority to dominate the forthcoming National Assembly.

Youth Forum wishes to congratulate the country after President Mugabe was elected Sadc deputy chairperson, deputising Malawian President Mrs Joyce Banda who chairs the regional bloc. This is contained in a communiqué released after the Sadc 33rd Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government Summit in Lilongwe, Malawi, yesterday.

This means President Mugabe will become the next chairperson of the regional grouping next year after Malawi completes her one-year term and Harare will host the bloc’s Heads of State and Government.

Visit the Youth Forum fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP