SALO Public Dialogue on SADC’s role in recent controversial elections in Swaziland and Zimbabwe – 10 Oct 2023

Watch here: https://fb.watch/nB3FEFf4Xv/

On the 26th of September, the Extraordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Committee of the Organ Troika discussed the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) Preliminary Report on the Zimbabwe Elections 2023 and referred the report back to the Zimbabwean government for comment. The Preliminary SEOM Report on the General Elections in Swaziland, released on the 1st of October, recommended that the Swazi government engage in an inclusive national dialogue to bring the country in line with the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections. Furthermore, the report recommended greater participation of political parties in the democratic process. The recent elections in both countries have been met with widespread concerns about their credibility and transparency, with observation missions expressing reservations about the electoral processes. Furthermore, recent attacks by political parties and state actors on both the Head of the SADC Election Observer Mission in Zimbabwe and their damning preliminary report have generated ire within the region. We will unpack the recent SEOMs, their reports and responses and look at the implications for democracy and human rights in Southern Africa.