Head of SADC observer mission says conditions right for elections

By Tererai Karimakwenda
20 March, 2008

It has been reported that the SADC observer mission on Wednesday pronounced that conditions in Zimbabwe were conducive to holding elections next week. Jose Marcos Barrica, head of the SADC electoral observer mission, is quoted as saying: "The moment is right to hold elections, the climate is right to hold elections."

Speaking at a news conference in Harare, Barrica said ‘what should be done is being done.’ Ironically he admitted there were concerns over the delay in publishing the voters' roll and concerns over biased and unequal media coverage. All he managed to say about that was: “They should think about it to have an equal share."

Barrica’s comments contradict observations made by most groups in Zimbabwe, who have said there is no chance that the elections can be free and fair. The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, the National Constitutional Assembly, the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations, the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe and many other groups in the country have concluded the elections will not be free or fair. Opposition parties have said they are participating in the polls ‘with a heavy heart’ because they know the playing field is not leveled.

The international group Human Rights Watch released a report Wednesday that concluded the environment was not conducive to a fair poll. It listed a catalogue of violations and abuses that have been documented, beginning in 2007. They said their report was forwarded to the SADC observer mission. It appears the head of that mission has not yet read the report.