By Susan Mwape in Kinshasa
Delegates at the 5th People’s Summit castigated the new trend of coalition governments in the region.
This new phenomenon is now firmly entrenched in countries such as Zimbabwe and Madagascar.
The development is viewed as defeating the purpose of holding democratic elections due to the fact that it subvert the democratic choices of the people of the region.
The phenomenon was first introduced in Africa in 2008 following Kenya’s disputed elections.
This led to the formation of a government of national unity after more than 1000 people had lost their lives in post electoral violence.
The same template was used to solve the electoral dispute in Zimbabwe and is now being finalised for Madagascar.
The SADC People’s Summit deliberated on the matter at length. In a presentation made to the summit by Dewa Mavhinga of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), it was noted that the challenges in Africa are around Governance and leadership.
Mavhinga noted that there appeared to be a failure by the Political leadership to transfer power and ultimately reflect the democratic aspirations of the people.
“In many cases the traditional concept of Chiefs and Kings is transferred to the Political situation where one person, the President becomes the Institution of the Party and personalises the state,” said Mavhinga.
He added that the Big Leader Syndrome in many African Countries is spreading like a veld fire noting the emergence of despotic leaders such as Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, the late Mobutu Seseko of DRC and Kamuzu Banda of Malawi among others.
Mavhinga said there is a general feeling that African leaders are reluctant to uphold the electoral process preffering to abuse state institutions such as the police and army to control the electoral processes.
He further argued that the regional SADC body lacks corrective mechanisms in cases of electoral disputes and irregularities.
“SADC had proposed a solution and it was that the one who refused to leave power should go and talk to the one who had won the elections. This solution of negotiations and National Unity has been applied in Madagascar but is this the solution and way forward that we want as the people of Southern Africa?” questioned Mavhinga citing the famous Zimbabwe electoral dispute.
“My considered view is that Governments of National Unity are not the way forward. What is needed is for a country to have strong institutions.”
Mavhinga concluded by urging the people of the region to demand their rights and build strong social movements.
“Agreements by the political elites must not over rule democracy. As the people of Southern Africa we must oppose SADC’s precedence of National Unity. We must demand that SADC countries respect electoral democracy and rule of law. Those that don’t respect such principles have no place in SADC,” said Mavhinga.
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Delegates at the 5th People’s Summit castigated the new trend of coalition governments in the region.
This new phenomenon is now firmly entrenched in countries such as Zimbabwe and Madagascar.
The development is viewed as defeating the purpose of holding democratic elections due to the fact that it subvert the democratic choices of the people of the region.
The phenomenon was first introduced in Africa in 2008 following Kenya’s disputed elections.
This led to the formation of a government of national unity after more than 1000 people had lost their lives in post electoral violence.
The same template was used to solve the electoral dispute in Zimbabwe and is now being finalised for Madagascar.
The SADC People’s Summit deliberated on the matter at length. In a presentation made to the summit by Dewa Mavhinga of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), it was noted that the challenges in Africa are around Governance and leadership.
Mavhinga noted that there appeared to be a failure by the Political leadership to transfer power and ultimately reflect the democratic aspirations of the people.
“In many cases the traditional concept of Chiefs and Kings is transferred to the Political situation where one person, the President becomes the Institution of the Party and personalises the state,” said Mavhinga.
He added that the Big Leader Syndrome in many African Countries is spreading like a veld fire noting the emergence of despotic leaders such as Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, the late Mobutu Seseko of DRC and Kamuzu Banda of Malawi among others.
Mavhinga said there is a general feeling that African leaders are reluctant to uphold the electoral process preffering to abuse state institutions such as the police and army to control the electoral processes.
He further argued that the regional SADC body lacks corrective mechanisms in cases of electoral disputes and irregularities.
“SADC had proposed a solution and it was that the one who refused to leave power should go and talk to the one who had won the elections. This solution of negotiations and National Unity has been applied in Madagascar but is this the solution and way forward that we want as the people of Southern Africa?” questioned Mavhinga citing the famous Zimbabwe electoral dispute.
“My considered view is that Governments of National Unity are not the way forward. What is needed is for a country to have strong institutions.”
Mavhinga concluded by urging the people of the region to demand their rights and build strong social movements.
“Agreements by the political elites must not over rule democracy. As the people of Southern Africa we must oppose SADC’s precedence of National Unity. We must demand that SADC countries respect electoral democracy and rule of law. Those that don’t respect such principles have no place in SADC,” said Mavhinga.
END///
Comments
But this now seems to be new trend within SADC