Britain Forcing Its Way to Observe Elections in Zimbabwe

Republic of Zimbabwe Vice-President Joice Mujuru meets with ambassadors from Germany and Britain. Zimbabwe is a leading country on the African continent., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Britain forcing its way to observe Zim polls

Saturday, 16 March 2013 22:04
Sunday Mail Reporter

Britain is clandestinely trying to abuse the meeting of ministers drawn from the EU Troika and the Sadc double Troika set for Wednesday this week in Maputo to force itself into observing the country’s forthcoming harmonised elections, it has been learnt.

It is understood that stung by the stance taken by the Government that Zimbabwe would not be inviting observers from the US and the EU, Britain is in panic mode trying to find ways of “smuggling” itself into observing the elections.

Sadc diplomats based in Harare who spoke on condition of anonymity for diplomatic reasons told The Sunday Mail last week that the British government, through its Ambassador in Harare Ms Deborah Bronnert, and its sympathisers in the EU, is trying to push Sadc through the Maputo meeting to force Zimbabwe to invite it to observe the elections.

“As you may be aware, in the past, EU member states used to meet Sadc member states on equal terms. This arrangement was working well until your country started having bilateral problems with Britain. After this we started seeing efforts to isolate Zimbabwe from Sadc and concerted moves to make sure your country was not fully represented during these EU and Sadc meetings. As a region we protested against these moves.

“Following our protests during the meetings, this arrangement where EU member states were meeting with Sadc member states on equal terms was changed.

“First these meetings were trimmed down and later a new arrangement where the EU Troika would meet with the Sadc double Troika came into effect.

“Under this new arrangement, we had our first meeting some time in 2002 and subsequent meetings were repeatedly postponed until in 2007 when they were resuscitated. This came as a surprise to many of us in Sadc because we thought interaction through this new arrangement had died a natural death since many years had gone since the last meeting.

“Soon after this meeting in 2007, the meetings died down again only to be resuscitated on 15 February when a meeting of officials from the EU Troika and the Sadc double Troika was held in Maputo at the instance of the EU. This meeting of the officials was meant to pave way for the meeting of ministers scheduled for Wednesday in Maputo.

“On reflection, we are seeing a worrying trend where these meetings between the EU Troika and the Sadc double Troika are being resuscitated only on the eve on an election in Zimbabwe. It seems these Troika meetings are being triggered by the electoral calendar in Zimbabwe. Even more worrying is the way the British government through its ambassador in Harare is shuttling from office to office trying to influence the Maputo agenda,” said the diplomat.

Another Sadc diplomat said the majority of diplomats from the region got worried when EU officials insisted during the meeting in Maputo that Zimbabwe should be put on the agenda of the forthcoming ministerial meeting.

“The EU officials insisted that the political situation in the Sadc region should be put on the agenda and this came as a surprise because it would be very difficult to discuss countries that won’t be represented at the meeting,” said the diplomat.

The Sadc double Troika consists of countries in the Sadc Troika and the Organ Troika that include Mozambique, Angola, Malawi, Tanzania, South Africa and Namibia while the EU Troika will be represented by Ireland, Cyprus and Lithuania.

“We wonder if the worrying political situation in a number of European countries like Greece, Italy and even Britain will also be put on the agenda. We understand there will be moves to use the EU to raise the issue about election observers to your country’s coming elections. As Sadc we will not accept to be used against one of our member states.

“Britain should sort its bilateral issues with Zimbabwe without seeking to abuse Sadc. Britain is trying to use a multilateral strategy to a bilateral issue,” said the diplomat.

Last week Ms Bronnert exposed his country’s desperation to influence the politics in the country saying: “If Zimbabwe wants to run a free and fair election, I think it will be very powerful to have outsiders saying this is a free and fair election.”

Observers, however, said while the British government could be running all over the place trying to “smuggle” itself into observing the elections in Zimbabwe, the Kenyan example where Western diplomats openly tried to influence the outcome of that country’s election was not inspiring.

Instead, the clandestine moves by the Western diplomats in Kenya only helped in stirring a national sentiment within the Kenyan voters and Britain is walking a tight rope in Zimbabwe.