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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
Statement
at conclusion of SADC summit, Mauritius, August 2004
Zimbabwe
Election Support Network (ZESN)
August 18, 2004
The
Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), is a non-partisan network
of 38 civic organisations in Zimbabwe promoting democratic elections.
We have been specifically lobbying for democratic, transparent and
inclusive electoral laws and practices in Zimbabwe. In partnership
with sister civic organisations in the region and in particular
with the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA), we have
also added our small efforts to the ongoing efforts to reform electoral
laws and practices in the SADC region. It is in this connection
that ZESN sent a delegation to the just ended SADC summit in Mauritius.
ZESN had a presence here in Mauritius from 11-18 August 2004.
During
the past week, we were able to do the following:
- Meet with
colleagues from sister civil society organisations in Mauritius;
- Brief members
of the electronic media (both TV and Radio) and print Mauritius
and the SADC region. On Friday, 13 August, we addressed a joint
press conference with the National Association of Non-Governmental
Organisations (NANGO) of Zimbabwe and as a result received coverage
from Mauritius Broadcasting Cooperation, Weekend Newspaper, Le
Mauricien Newspaper; various radio stations (see attachment);
- Monday 16
August, we, together with colleagues from NANGO and the Crisis
Coalition of Zimbabwe addressed a public meeting at the Port Louis
Municipal Hall;
- Held several
meetings with various officials from the SADC region and beyond;
and;
- After the
close of the summit, on Tuesday evening, 17 August, we, along
with other civic society representatives from Zimbabwe; secured
a meeting with the new SADC Chairperson and Prime Minister of
the Republic of Mauritius, the Right Hon. Paul Raymond Berenger.
As ZESN, we
are delighted that the summit unanimously agreed on the SADC Principles
and Guidelines Governing democratic elections that were formally
introduced to the summit by the outgoing Chair of the SADC Organ
on Politics, Defence and Security. We are still studying the final
text. However, our concern so far is that the text refers principally
to SADC Electoral Observation Missions (SEOM) is somewhat silent
on the need for other international observer missions. Nevertheless,
we welcome the fact that all SADC heads of state/government attended
the summit and agreed to the principles and guidelines on elections.
In addition, compared to the first draft, the final text includes
several principles from the various SADC and African Union election
documents we have alluded to in the past. As civil society we will
be following up the question of implementation of the principles
and guidelines into domestic legislation and practice.
ZESN
commends all the SADC governments for agreeing to the principles
and guidelines on elections. We extend special commendation to the
government and people of the Republic of Mauritius for the successful
of hosting of the summit. We also thank the incoming Chair of the
SADC, the Right Hon. Paul Raymond Berenger, for finding time from
his busy schedule to meet us. Finally but by no means least, we
extend our sincere gratitude to colleagues from civil society in
Mauritius in Particular the Movement Pour le Progres de Roche Bols
(MPRB), a member of the Southern African Human Rights NGO Network
(SAHRINGON), who facilitated our visit to Mauritius.
Dr
Reginald Matchaba-Hove, ZESN National Chairperson
Ms Rindai Chipfunde Vava, National Director
Visit
the ZESN fact
sheet
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