Intervention by South Africa, Africa and the international community is needed in possible upcoming national elections in Zimbabwe, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said on Wednesday.
“We call upon South Africa, the Southern African Development Community, the African Union and the United Nations to intervene directly and guide us through the election process,” coalition spokesperson Dewa Mavhinga told reporters in Johannesburg.
“We need them to monitor the situation on the ground and make sure elections are free, fair and peaceful,” he said.
Concern
The coalition expressed concern at recent calls by Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party to hold elections while the Zimbabwe election commission had been silent on the matter.
“Elections cannot happen here because the government is not functioning. It’s not the right voting environment and the infrastructure is non-existent,” coalition programme manager Pedzisai Ruhanya said.
“The Global Political Agreement [GPA] has dismally failed in its objectives … that is why we need intervention,” Mavhinga said.
The Crisis in Zimbabwe coalition is a group of more than 350 civil society organisations, formed in August 2001 in response to the human rights and leadership crisis facing the nation. — Sapa