POLITICAL observers have expressed scepticism about Sadc’s ability to resolve the political crisis in Mozambique, triggered by disputed elections in October this year.
This comes when analysts have released fresh evidence of Zimbabweans voting in Mozambican disputed elections, casting a shadow over President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership as Sadc chairperson.
The regional bloc has called for an extraordinary summit in Harare with heads of State and government meeting on Wednesday this week.
The summit is expected to deliberate on political developments in the region that include the post-election crisis in neighbouring Mozambique and violence in Eastern Congo.
About 20 people have died during clashes in Mozambique, which began after the announcement that Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo won the presidency with more than 70% of the votes.
Data analysts Team Pachedu said they had compiled evidence of Zimbabweans voting in the Mozambican election in violation of the country’s electoral laws.
Preliminary data, released exclusively to NewsDay, showed that local registered voters also voted in the neighbouring country’s elections.
For instance, one Rejoice Mutambara registered in Masvingo Province in 2023 appears on Page 6 892 of the Zimbabwe Voters’ roll under record 502982 but voted in the Mozambican elections, according to Team Pachedu.
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Another registered voter, Omega Mutiro of Mashonaland East Province appears on page 951 of the voters’ roll under Record 73133 but also voted in the Mozambican elections, it said.
“On the Mozambique elections and Zimbabweans having voted, we did a sample of those individuals who are registered in Mozambique to vote in Zimbabwe,” Team Pachedu said in a statement.
“On that sample we saw that there were Zimbabweans in Masvingo, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland provinces that voted in that election.
“The Mozambican law does not allow dual citizenship so on that basis these individuals should not have been allowed to vote.
“We must also emphasise that this was only a sample but it has traces of what appears to be a manipulation of the Mozambique elections. Most of these surnames are mostly Shona ones.”
The data analysis is still ongoing to find out the number of Zimbabweans who voted in the election.
Political analysts said the failure by Sadc to take action on Zimbabwe’s shambolic 2023 polls was a red flag on its capacity to resolve electoral disputes in the region.
“Sadc is notorious for being a nerve talk shop,” analyst Ruben Mbofana said. “It can’t enforce anything. As such, there is really nothing much Sadc can do to stop the unrest in Mozambique. The body can’t even order another sovereign State to do anything. It can only recommend.
“The best Sadc can do is issue a communique urging all parties in Mozambique to resolve any electoral disputes peacefully by exhausting all legal avenues and dialogue.”
In a joint statement, co-conveners of Concerned Citizens Platform Ibbo Mandaza and Tony Reeler urged the Sadc summit to treat the matter with all seriousness and “not brush the problems under the door as it did with the Zimbabwe 2023 elections”.
“While regional co-operation and international pressure could help de-escalate tensions, Mozambique’s leaders and institutions bear the ultimate responsibility for building a stable and democratic nation,” they said.
“However, as with Zimbabwe, Mozambique requires Sadc and the international community to recognise the gravity of the situation, to push for reform and not merely stability and, above all, to realise that elections in the absence of strong institutions create problems, not solve them and that the pressing problem throughout the region is the absence of strong institutions, not merely strong election management bodies.”
Politician Job Sikhala also weighed in saying Sadc resolution could not supersede Mozambique's laws.
“The crisis in Mozambique is man-made and the only solution to the crisis is to allow the will of the people of Mozambique to prevail,” Sikhala said.
“The Extraordinary Sadc Summit will just be a talk show as the Mozambican Constitutional Council has not announced its verdict on the election outcome.
“It has asked for some extra 20 days to meticulously look at the election results which will expire early next month. The extraordinary Sadc Summit cannot pass resolutions that will try to subvert the decision of the Mozambique Constitutional Council.”
