Military forces from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will be deployed throughout the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Sadc observers satisfied with preps
Saturday, 16 March 2013 00:00
Zimbabwe Herald
Yesterday the team met Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo at the party’s headquarters
Senior Reporter
THE Sadc Parliamentary Forum says they are satisfied with preparations for the constitutional referendum and are ready to observe the historical event.
On Monday foreign observers started trooping in with the 40-member team from the Sadc Parliamentary Forum jetting into the country on the same day.
The team is led by Prince Guduza Dlamini, who is the Speaker of the National Assembly of Swaziland and the team deployed its members to the country’s 10 provinces on Tuesday.
It comprises parliamentarians from Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia.
Yesterday the team met Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo at the party’s headquarters to brief him about their findings ahead of the referendum and to ascertain the party’s position on the event.
Prince Dlamini said this week they held meetings with leaders of political parties and they were satisfied with the situation in the country.
“We are happy that we have been invited to come and see what is happening here and to observe the referendum,” he said.
He said from observations that they had made, the situation was peaceful and most people appeared ready to participate in the referendum.
“We are also happy that all the principals agreed to this document and all the political parties are campaigning for a “Yes vote,” Prince Dlamini said.
He said so far they had deployed their teams of two parliamentarians in the country’s 10 provinces who would be carrying out their duties.
Sadc Parliamentary Forum secretary general Dr Esau Chiviya said during the orientation sessions, they also invited the Copac co-chairperson Cde Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana who took them through the preparations and the highlights.
“His presentations were informative and also the ZEC commissioners also took us on how they are prepared,” he said.
Dr Chiviya said they observed that ZEC was organised in that it was decentralised.
In spite of logistical challenges or finances, they are prepared to undertake this event,” he said.
He said from meetings they had also had with ambassadors in the country, they felt that the constitution was long over due.
Dr Chiviya said Zimbabweans were going to come in large numbers to vote.
“Even leaders from other political parties, the Prime Minister (Morgan Tsvangirai) are all in praise of the constitution.
“Even the Sadc secretariat they are all positive about the referendum and the successful outcome would be a plus for Sadc,” he said.
Cde Khaya Moyo applauded the nation and said it was their draft constitution and not for political leaders.
He said people expressed themselves during the outreach programme before all the principals revisited the draft constitution to come up with a new one.
“It is a product of the people and nobody even from the three political parties should lay claim on it.
“The people are looking forward to tomorrow (today) and they cannot wait because it is them who spoke, it is not us,” he said.
Cde Khaya Moyo said as a party they were happy with this development.
He said some people were campaigning for a ‘’No’’ vote and it was their democratic right to do so and to express their feelings.
Cde Khaya Moyo said they wanted a peaceful referendum as said by President Mugabe recently.
“People must feel free to express themselves and we don’t want to hear any forms of violence from any quarter.
“I am sure that the security forces are alert but I am also looking forward to a peaceful referendum and I have no doubt that the majority of people will vote ‘’Yes’’.
“We don’t expect people to vote against themselves,” he said.
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