ZIMBABWEANS are petitioning the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security calling for political settlement in the country following a sham election which was condemned by both regional and international observers.
By yesterday, over 8 000 had signed the petition convened by Ibbo Mandaza and Tony Reeler.
“Once again a Zimbabwean election fails the test of credibility. However, the 2023 harmonised elections have failed the test so comprehensively that even the reputable regional and international observers are for once in agreement that this election has failed.
"The main opposition and many civil society organisations have condemned the election, so are ordinary citizens,” the conveners said.
The conveners said that the government has failed to reform since coming to power through a military coup in 2017.
“By any measure the Zimbabwean government since 2017 has shown no ability to reform, either politically or economically and to create the conditions that could lead to an election that is free, fair and credible. The coup in 2017 did not usher in a new dispensation but a continuation of the kind of governance that has led to the 2023 result,” they said.
The conveners said a transitional government was the only way out of the Zimbabwe crisis.
“The way forward must be bold and innovative, recalling the manner in which the Rhodesian crisis was dealt with.
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“This must require the establishment of an Eminent Persons Group, tasked with negotiating the establishment of a Transitional Government, composed of political parties and other major citizen groupings.”
“The negotiations must be broad-based, including political parties, civil society, churches, labour, women and other citizen groupings."
Mandaza and Reeler said there is need for complete disbandment of the country’s electoral law and institutions.
“There should be a complete overhaul of all the election machinery and legislation to ensure that the election that follows the period of the Transitional Government will lead to an election that meets regional and international standards,” they said.
“This is the only way forward to resolve the crisis, and we call on all Zimbabweans, in the country and in the diaspora to support this petition, and we call on Sadc — through the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security — the AU and the international community to support and scaffold this.”
