Maravi

SADC observers to leave Zim after runoff

SADC observers to leave Zim after runoff
By George Chellah and Kingsley Kaswende in Harare, Zimbabwe
Friday June 27, 2008 [04:00]

THE SADC election observer mission will remain in Zimbabwe until after today's presidential election runoff, head of mission Jose Marcos Barrica has said. And Barrica said the mission was not bound by the decision of the regional bloc's Troika on Politics, Defence and Security, stating that the Troika only deliberates on matters and does not make resolutions.

Addressing journalists yesterday, Barrica said the election observer mission would stay in the country until after the presidential runoff.

"We will stay put until after June 27," Barrica said. "We may have our ideas, but that is the responsibility of the authorities."
He said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and the government had the responsibility to decide whether the country should hold elections.

Barrica, who is also Angolan Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, said the regional bloc - SADC - and not the Troika on Politics, Defence and Security only bind the election observer mission.

Asked about the SADC troika, which met yesterday in Mbabane, Swaziland and recommended that the Zimbabwean runoff be postponed, Barrica responded that the troika only deliberates on matters and does not make resolutions.

He further said the observer mission had made some progress in attempting to bring the Zimbabwean political players to negotiate.
Barrica said there were positive signals that could move the process forward. "There is light at the end of the tunnel that can bring the two sides together. We think we have the way prepared for the leadership to go forward," Barrica said.

The SADC troika on politics on Wednesday resolved that the election in Zimbabwe must be postponed to allow the two leaders have talks before a new runoff date could be proposed.

Labels: ELECTIONS, SADC, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 9:02 AM