SADC Extraordinary Summit Of Heads Of State And Government Didn't Discuss Zimbabwe

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) had an Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in Angola on Saturday. However, according to the summit’s communique, there was no discussion about Zimbabwe.

Many people were hoping that the summit would address the political deadlock in Zimbabwe, which started after the disputed August 23, 2023, harmonised elections and was made worse by the removal of several opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmakers from Parliament. The communique only stated:

Summit received an update on the elections in the SADC Member States and noted the report of the SADC Election Observation Mission to the Harmonised Elections in the Republic of Zimbabwe held in August 2023, and the General Elections in the Kingdom of Eswatini in September 2023.

Download: COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE SADC EXTRA-ORDINARY SUMMIT of Heads of State and Government 4 NOVEMBER 2023 Angola

The report mentioned only recommends aggrieved parties use and exhaust domestic remedies, something that journalist Hopewell Chin’ono says “is not possible in Zimbabwe.” He said:

Short of a real tangible crisis in Zimbabwe, SADC won’t do much for Zimbabweans, it is up to Zimbabweans to do something for themselves to resolve the 23-year-old crisis of governance.

After the disputed elections, the CCC party asked SADC to help organise new elections in Zimbabwe. They pointed to a report from a SADC Observer Mission (SEOM) that highlighted irregularities in the previous elections. The CCC believed that fresh elections overseen by an impartial body like SADC, the African Union, or the United Nations should be held instead of relying on the perceived biased Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

The party also reached out to SADC when its members were recalled from Parliament and Local Government Authorities. The CCC has been assuring its supporters that help is on the way, but critics have doubted this, as they believe SADC has historically supported parties like ZANU PF, which were part of the liberation movement.

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