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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Review of SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections - Opinion and Analysis
SADC
Member States Move Towards Democratic Governance
Crisis in Zimbabwe
Coalition
August 18, 2004
The Crisis in Zimbabwe
Coalition would like to congratulate the SADC Heads of State and government
for unanimously adopting principles on free and fair elections with emphasis
on member states to respect their citizens' civil liberties such as freedom
of assembly, association and expression.
The summit held in
Grand Bay, Mauritius could see the birth of a democratic dispensation
in SADC if all the member states implement the proposals in the administration
of their elections.
The Coalition is appreciative
of this development taking into consideration the broad definition of
free and fair elections that includes critical fundamentals of any genuine
democratic system as stated earlier. Such are the values that the Coalition
celebrates.
Another positive development
is clear definition of responsibilities of governments. This definition
is likely to separate the committed governments from those who feed on
rhetoric. Previously the ambiguity in defining government's roles had
made it impossible to affect some of the adopted resolutions.
Although mentioned
during the summit the Coalition is of the opinion that SADC heads still
must put more emphasis on increasing women representation in elected office.
SADC needs to adopt serious practical measures that allow for an enabling
environment which will ensure that the regional declaration to have at
least 30% women in elected office is met and surpassed to meet the African
Union (AU) protocol which has ambitions to have 50% women in elected office.
To date only South Africa, Mozambique and Seychelles have managed to meet
the 30% requirement.
The Coalition also
congratulates SADC heads of states in committing to the operationalisation
of the Organ on Politics, Defense and Security. The Coalition is hopeful
that civil society organisations will be afforded space within this organ
to work towards the transcending goal of creating peace and stable political
and security environment within which the region will endeavour to realize
its socio-economic objectives.
While the Coalition
remains optimistic it would however like to encourage the incoming chairperson
of SADC Prime Minister Berenger to address the issue of lack of visible
synergy between the legislative body - the SADC parliamentary forum and
the SADC heads of state who make the executive.
The Coalition would
like to implore the chairperson to act on this issue as a matter of urgency,
as well as move swiftly in defining the role of civil society within the
SADC framework.
Lastly, the Coalition
urges those heads of state countenancing elections in the forthcoming
18 months to disclose their future intentions as indicated by the presidency
Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique and Sam Nujoma of Namibia who both indicated
that they would be retiring at the end of 2004 and March
2005 respectively.
Such disclosures create certainty and transparency as people move towards
elections.
The Coalition would
also like to commend the conduct of the incoming Prime Minister Berenger
who has given ear to diverse groups from all over SADC including civil
society organisations within and outside the SADC meeting.
Visit the Crisis in Zimbabwe
fact sheet
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