Chalton Hwende, a key figure in Zimbabwe’s Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has firmly stated that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will not intervene in the disputed 2023 national elections. His declaration casts a shadow over the hopes stirred by former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa, who had been actively soliciting SADC’s support to address alleged electoral malpractices.
Dismissing External Assistance
During a recent digital engagement on an X space forum, Hwende, a close associate of Chamisa, made it clear that SADC’s involvement in Zimbabwe’s electoral quandary was off the table. This discussion arose following a series of attempts by CCC to draw SADC into the fray, predicated on the regional body’s own observer mission’s findings, which hinted at electoral discrepancies.
“SADC’s doors are closed on this matter,” Hwende remarked, recalling a meeting with the executive secretary in Botswana where the issue of intervention was outright dismissed. The CCC’s push for intervention, including Chamisa’s letters to SADC, was met with what Hwende described as laughter from the regional body’s officials, signaling a lack of serious consideration for their appeals.
Zimbabwe’s Electoral Landscape and SADC’s Role
Hwende’s comments come at a critical time when SADC is preparing to host its 44th Head of State summit in Zimbabwe, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa set to assume the chairmanship of the regional bloc. The legislator’s bold statement underscores a significant rift between the expectations of some Zimbabwean political factions and the realpolitik of regional diplomacy.
He articulated a strong message to his fellow Zimbabweans: the resolution to their political impasse lies within. According to Hwende, while SADC’s reports following the elections criticized the conduct of the polls, the regional body has historically never mandated a re-election in any member state. Furthermore, he argued that this stance should galvanize Zimbabweans to spearhead their own reforms without leaning on external bodies.
A Call for Internal Mobilization
Echoing his assertion of self-reliance, Hwende encouraged citizens to take initiative in demanding and implementing the needed electoral and political reforms. “The onus is on us, the people of Zimbabwe, to organize and demand our rights as enshrined in our constitution,” he declared, pushing for a grassroots movement to uphold democratic principles and rectify the electoral system.
In his concluding remarks, Hwende issued a personal challenge, expressing his readiness to resign from politics should SADC ever force a re-election in Zimbabwe, a testament to his conviction that change must originate domestically rather than from international interventions.
Source: New Zimbabwe
