SEAN TEMBO SAYS SADC OBSERVER MISSION MONITORING ZIMBABWE ELECTIONS FAILED ITS DUTY
By Patricia Male
Patriots for Economic Progress President Sean Tembo has charged that the SADC Observer Mission headed by Dr. Never Mumba appointed to monitor the elections in Zimbabwe failed as it was not independent and objective.
Mr. Tembo says the controversy about the report released by the SADC Observer Mission in which they have castigated the election, could have been avoided, had Dr. Mumba and the SADC mission not only maintained their independence but also the appearance of independence.
it is reported that on voting day, Dr. Mumba escorted the main opposition candidate, Nelson Chamisa to cast his vote in Harare’s Kawadzana suburb, a move Mr. Tembo says is detrimental to the entire SADC Observer Mission.
Mr. Tembo states that even if Dr. Mumba and his SADC mission might have been independent and objective in their observer mission, the fact that they publicly aligned with an opposition leader renders their report, tainted.
He says some roles are very delicate and require one to not only be independent and objective as a matter of fact, but to also appear to be independent and objective.
PHOENIX NEWS
A QUICK TAKE ON CURRENT ISSUES
By Sean Tembo – PeP President
1. The controversy about the Report released by the SADC Observer Mission headed by Dr. Nevers Mumba is something that could have been avoided, had Dr. Mumba and the SADC Mission not only maintained their independence (if any), but also the appearance of independence. It is on record that on voting day, Dr. Mumba escorted the main opposition candidate from the CCC Party; Nelson Chamisa to cast his vote in Harare’s Kawadzana Suburb. Even if Dr. Mumba and his SADC Mission might have in fact been independent and objective in their Observer Mission, the fact that they publicly aligned with an opposition leader renders their Report, which castigates the election, tainted and useless. Some roles are very delicate and require you to not only be independent and objective as a matter of fact, but you must also appear to be independent and objective. Dr. Mumba evidently failed the appearance test, much to the detriment of his entire SADC Observer Mission.
2. Government’s decision of restricting movement of maize grain from one province of Zambia to another, which was subsequently reversed the following day, is the epitome of lack of understanding of how a country’s economy needs to work and be managed. Government’s reasoning was that each province should produce its own maize to feed itself.
In my adult life, l have come across many bad Government policies but this one tops them all. To think that a Cabinet Meeting was convened at State House and our Ministers, Vice President and President deliberated on this issue and resolved to issue a directive restricting the movement of maize grain from one province to another, speaks volumes about the caliber and competence (or lack thereof) of the people that we have in office today. For a nation to develop, you need each province to specialize in what it can do best so as to achieve economies of scale. If North-Western can do mining, it shouldn’t have to worry about grain if Eastern Province can do agriculture. That is how prosperous economies are structured all over the world.It surely took an uproar by the Grain Traders Association of Zambia for Government to reverse it’s very adverse decision. The million dollar question is why did Government proceed with such an unprecedented policy without consulting key stakeholders including the Grain Traders Association of Zambia?
3. There have been about 67 Habeas Corpus applications filed into the High Court of Zambia in the last two years that the UPND administration has been in office, compared to 43 applications that were filed in the 10 years that the PF administration was in office. The question is why? A habeas corpus application is a writ that is filed requiring a person who is under arrest to be taken before Court, and is often filed in circumstances were the State is detaining a person or person’s for prolonged periods of time without taking them to Court. The funny thing is that the UPND administration’s reluctance to take detained suspects to Court or release them on Police Bond is not only limited to political detainees as one would suspect, but even ordinary members of society are being unduly held in custody without Police Bond or Bail. Am sure most of you remember the story of that step-mother and wife to a soldier who was accused of abusing the step-son. You’ll be shocked to learn that almost a month later, she is still in detention and has neither been given Police Bond nor has she been taken to Court so that she can apply for bail.
The question is why does the UPND administration have a large appetite for extra-judicial punishment? If a person does something wrong, let them be taken to Court and if they are convicted, then let them be punished accordingly. Punishing a person who has not been subjected to the due process of the law is not only immoral, but it is also evil.
Evidently President Hakainde Hichilema appears to be a major proponent of extra-judicial punishment as he is on record advocating for more offenses to be made non-bailable including livestock theft. This is at a time that even his own Chief Justice and other progressive institutions such as the Law Association of Zambia, Human Rights Commission etcetera are advocating for all offenses to be made bailable.
For the first time in the history of this country, we even had the Zambia Police Service Spokesperson Rae Haamonga issue what l consider to be a stupid statement that it is not the responsibility of the Police to take suspects to Court. The only issue that l am grappling with is whether President Hakainde Hichilema’s appetite to hold suspects without bail or bond is founded out of his ignorance regarding how the rule of law is supposed to operate, or there is something darker inside the President’s heart?
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SET 26. 08. 2023