…SADC urges all registered voters to exercise their civic and political rights by voting
BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE – the SADC Electoral Observation Mission to the 2023 General Elections in Eswatini consists of 47 personnel.
They are from 8 SADC Member States namely, the Republic of Republics of Zambia, Angola, of Malawi,
Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the United Republic of Tanzania.
This was revealed by Enoch Kevindele, the former President of the Republic of Zambia and Head of the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM).
He said their observers have been deployed to the four Regions of Eswatini, namely, Hhohho, Manzini, Lubombo and Shiselweni. The SEOM observations will focus on the pre election, election and post-election periods, including the campaigns, the voting day and the process of counting the ballot papers.
SADC urged all registered voters to exercise their civic and political rights by voting on 29 September 2023. We encourage all stakeholders to ensure that these elections are conducted peacefully, free, fair, transparent and credible.
“We look forward to an electoral process that adheres to democratic values and principles envisioned in the SADC Treaty, the Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, and the revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections,” said the former president.
He further mentioned that, the consolidation of democracy in their region can be enhanced if all Member States also focus on implementing the various recommendations of the SEOMs, in particular, where such recommendations seek to close gaps and address specific challenges in the electoral systems of our Member States.
“To obtain an objective and impartial basis from which to draw its findings, the SEOM necessarily requires to consult a broad, diverse, and unrestricted range of stakeholders in each Member State holding elections,” he said.
The delegation met with the Senior National Commissioner(NATCOM) of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) last Thursday , who assured them of their preparedness for the upcoming elections.
“We look forward to our consultations with other stakeholders in the upcoming,” he said.
