I-SADC izama ukuxazulula impikiswano

Abanengi bathi kwaba lokuqilibezela okukhulu ekhethweni olwenziwa eZimbabwe mhlaka 23-24 August.

Lesi yiso isiphetho esafinyelelwa ngababezohlola ukhetho bemelele inhlanganiso yamazwe aseningizimu Africa abeSouthern African Development Community Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) lezinye inhlanganiso ezihlola ukuqhuthswa kokhetho ezimela i-Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), inhlanganiso yamazwe amanyeneyo aweAfrica (African Union), Inhlanganiso yamazwe amanyeneyo aweEurope (European Union), iqembu labahloli bokhetho abeCommonwealth kanye lenhlanganiso yeCarter.

Bekhokhelwa ngowayengumsekeli kamongameli waseZambia uDr Nevers Mumba, iqembu leSEOM lenza into engajayelekanga ngokuchothoza indlela ukhetho olwaqhutshwa embikweni wabo wokuqala, begcizelela ukuthi ukhetho aluzange luhambisane lezimiso zokuqhutshwa kokhetho ezavunyelwanayo ngamazwe aseningizimu Africa (SADC Principles and Guidelines for Democratic Elections). Ngamafitshane umbiko lo wawumumethe imicijo elandelayo:

• Ukungahanjiswa kuhle kohlelo lokufaka imingcele yezabelo
• Ukuphuza ukukhipha ugwalo lwababhalise ukuvota ekhethweni okwenza kungabi lethuba lokuluhlolisisa
• Ukungabikhona kwenkululeko yokubuthana lokukhuluma kubangelwa yimithetho ecindezelayo njenge Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) le Patriot Act leyo ethi kulicala elikhulu ukuchothoza “ukuzibusa kweZimbabwe”
• Ukufunakala kwemali enengi ukuthi umuntu abhalise ukuncintisa kulolu khetho, ngokwesibonelo ukufunakala kwemali enengi okungakaze kubonakale eyi $20,000 kwababefuna ukuncintisa isikhundla kamongameli welizwe
• Ubufakazi bokuthi abezemthethwandaba abasebenzi ngenkululeko njalo bezimele
• Ubufakazi bokusetshenziswa kweqembu leForever Associates  Zimbabwe elicatshangelwa ukuthi lisebenza lenhloli zikahulumende (State Intelligence). Lokhu kwenza kube lensolo ekuqhutshweni kuhle kokhetho
• Ukungacaci komahluko okumele ube khona phakathi kukahulumende lebandla lezombangazwe
• Ukukhitshwa kwendaba besekela ibandla elilodwa okwenziwa yimisakazo kaHulumende

IEsigodlweni eHarare lakwezinye indawo okudume khone ibandla eliphikisayo amaphepha okuvota aphuza ukufika ngaamawa alitshumi lambili. Singakhumbula ukuthi ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu zabantu abangu 6,6 million ababhalisa ukuvota zihlala eHarare, ukuncitshwa ithuba lokuvota lokhu kungabe kwahle kwanquma umphumela wokhetho lonke. Isikhathi sokuvota sengezwa ngamaawa angamatshumi amabili lane, kodwa inengi laqhubeka limile okwesikhathi eside abanye baze bakhalala ngenxa yokuphuza kwamaphepha.

Konke lokhu kukhanya kwakuvele kuhleliwe. Elinye iqembu elingacaciyo injongo yalo elizibiza Forever Associates Zimbabwe lavumbuluka njalo lathunywa emizini engu 36,000 ukhetho lungakenziwa. Iqembu leli lalilamatafula eduze lendawo ezazivotelwa lapho ababecela ngenkani ukwazi ibizo lesithupha somuntu wonke engakavoti

Amapholisa lamasotsha lawo ayemi eduze lendawo lezi zokuvotela bephethe imibhobho, induku lokunye okuthi kungadubuka kukhiphe intuthu ehitshayo (teargas).

Ngelanga lokucina lokhetho, ngemva kokugqekezwa ngabacatshengelwa ukuthi ngoguluva bebandla elibusayo eleZimbabwe African Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU – PF), amapholisa atheleka emahofisini aweZimbabwe Election Resource Center labeZimbabwe Election Support Network, inhlanganiso lezi zazilabahlola ukhetho abangu 7,500 elizweni lonke. Inhlanganiso lezi ezanikwa imvumo yokuhlola ukhetho yiZimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) zazilungiselela ukuthi zihlanganise amanamba aphuma ekhethweni ukuthi kulinganiswe lokwakuzakhitshwa ngabaqhuba ukhetho njengoba nje kusenziwa endaweni ezinengi eAfrica. Amapholisa kathathanga nje izinto ezazisetshenziswa yinhlanganiso lezi kodwa ahle athela ejele abangu 49 ababehlola ukhetho, lalamuhla nje bathwele nzima belokhu bephakathi.

Njengenjwayelo ngesikhathi sokhetho kweleZimbabwe ukulwisana kwakugcwele kulolukhetho. Ukutshontshwa kwabantu, ukubotshwa nje okungaqondakaliyo lokubhulwa kwabasekeli bebandla eliphikisayo kanye labalwela amalungelo abantu kwenza kungabi lethuba lokusebenza kuhle ukhetho lungakenziwa. Ukutshontshwa kwabantu lokhu lokwethusela okuhlanganisa ukutshaywa, ukunyamalaliswa kwabantu lokhu kuqhubeka kusukela esikhathini sokhetho

Yikho abanengi bathi kwakungela zakhetho kodwa kwakuyindlela yokuth ibandla leZANU-PF linqobe kulolu khetho ngobuqili njalo ngenkani. Inhlanganiso yeZEC eqhuba umsebenzi wayo okusolisayo yathi ovele engumongameli uEmmerson Mnangagwa nguye owanqobayo kulolukhetho.

Izizalwane zeZimbabwe zibeka isicelo kuSADC

Sebebone ukucindezelwa lokuqilibezelwa kwabavotayo inhlanganiso yePlatform for Concerned Citizens (PCC) yahambisa isicelo kuSADC esisayinwe zingcitshi kanye labanye abasenhlanganisweni zikazulu esihlose ukulungisisa udaba lokhetho. U-Dr Ibbo Mandaza ongumqondisi wenhlanganiso yeSouthern Africa Political Economy Series (SAPES) Trust kanye loTony Reeler ongumcwayisisi omkhulu enhlanganisweni yeResearch and Advocacy Unit (RAU) eseHarare yibo abalobi abakhulu balolu gwalo lwesicelo. Isicelo lesi esesibizwa ngokuthi yiMandaza/Reeler Petition ikhuluma imigcijo eyisitshiyangalombili yokulungisisa udaba lokhetho:

1. Ukubunjwa kweqembu labahlonitshwa ukuthi lisebenze lenhlanganiso yeSADC ukuxazulula impikiswano yokhetho. Kusikiselwa amabizo abantu abanjengo Jikaya Kikwete owayengumongameli welizwe leTanzania(Empumalanga Africa), owake wabamba isikhundla sikamongameli welizwe leSouth Africa uKgalema Motlante (Eningizimu Africa) kanye loEllen Johnson Sirleaf owayengumongameli welizwe leLiberia (Entshonalanga Africa)
2. Ukuba lokuxoxisana kwamabandla ezombangazwe (kanye leZANU-PF), amasonto, inhlanganiso zikazulu, abamela izisebenzi, ocwephetshe, abafazi lamanye amaqembu
3.  Uhulumende wamabandla amanyeneyo ahlanganisa I-ZANU PF, amabandla aphikisayo, lezikhwicamfundo ezithathwa enhlanganisweni zikazulu lakwezinye indawo ezingaso zikahulumende
4. Ukulungisiswa komthetho welizwe ukuthi amabutho engangeneli kwezombangazwe
5. Ukulungisiswa kwenhlanganiso zikahulumende ngokwesibonelo abazomthethwandaba
6. UKulungisisa inotho yelizwe ukuze abayanga labo bazuze
7. Isikhwama selizwe esilemthetho yokuvikelwa ukusetshenziswa kubi kwemali ukwenzela ukuvikela ukusaphaza inotho yelizwe
8. Ukuguqula ngokupheleleyo ukuqhutshwa kokhetho lemithetho ecindezelayo

Izicelo ezinjengalezi ziyamukelwa yiSADC besebenzisa umthetho wamazwe wonke (Customary International Law. Isimiso lesi sisekelwe yiSADC Parliamentary Forum, SADC Secretariat leSADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC) ebunjwa ngabahluleli bomthethwandaba abamela amazwe wonke engu14. Ikanti iArticle 11 yeSADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation – eqondiswa yiSADC Organ Troika ithi kungasetshenziswa loba yiphi indlela ebonakala ingasebenza ukuxazulula impikiswano yezombangazwe. Lokhu kuhlanganisa “ukuthumela amabutho njengedlela yokucina”

Njengomgcinisihlalo weSADC Organ Troika umongameli welizwe leZambia uHakainde Hichilema wabiza umhlangano weTroika ngoSeptember 28 ukuthi kuxoxwe ngomumo wezinto eZimbabwe, ababumba iTroika yiZambia, Namibia leTanzania. Ababumba iTroika bamukela umbiko wokuqala weSEOM lokhu kwenza ukuthi umbiko lo ube ngumbiko weSADC osemthethweni. Okwesibili bachothoza kakhulu ukuziphatha kweziphathimandla zaseZimbabwe njalo bathuma Isadc Secretiriat ukuthi yazise iziphathimandla zeZimbabwe ukungathokozi lokhu.Okwesithathu yathi iZimbabwe ivunyelwe ukuthi iphendule kodwa okwakhathesi lokhu bezithulele. Okwesine iTroika yaqinisa imithetho lezimiso zeSADC zokuqhuba ukhetho, yathi izibopho lezi kumelwe zilandalwe ukuze ikusasa lokubusa okusuthisa uzulu lilondolozwe. I-Troika yananzelela ukuthi impikiswano le yaseZimbabwe ilakho ukuphambanisa ukuthula lenhlalakahle esabelweni sonke seSADC.

Okwenzakala kudala lomutsho wakho

ZIZimbabwe yandise ukuphumelela nxa kulokuxoxisana lozulu. Lalamuhla kunjalo kungenani lokuthi izigidi ezine – ingxenye eyodwa kwezine yezizalwane zonke – zeZimbabwe sezathutha zibaleka njalo umumo wezomnotho uqhubeka usiba mubi kakhulu. Abahlela ukumanyana kukazulu okuzale iMandaza/Reeler Petition bathi iZimbabwe isisesikhathini esifanana lalesiyana ese “Lancaster House” befanisa lengxoxo ezaletha uzibuse ngomnyaka ka1980 ezenzelwa eLancaster House, London.

I-PCC ayiqalisanga lapha ukumela udaba olukhulu njengalolu. Ngo2008 yaxoxisana leqembu leSouth Africa elalikhokhelwa ngumkhulu wamabutho okuvikela ilizwe leSouth Africa uGilbert Ramano elalizohlola umumo wokuthula ngemva kwenye impikiswano yokhetho. Izizalwane zeZimbabwe ezedlula 300 zasezibulewe kulolo khetho. “Sahamba labantu ababequnywe izandla ngabasekeli beZANU PF emahofisini ommeli weSouth Africa kweleZimbabwe sisiyabonana laye (uRamana)” kutsho uMandaza. “URamana wathontisa inyembezi ebuza ukuthi ibandla elaletha uzibuse lingenza njani into enje”

Umbiko kaRamana loba ungazange ukhitshwe sobala wenza ukuthi uhulumende weSouth Africa ebumbe ikomiti yabaphathintambo ebona ngokweZimbabwe. Ikomiti le yaphoqelela iSouth Africa ukuthi ikhokhele ukukhulumisana kwamabandla ezombusazwe, okwenza ukuthi iArticle 11 yeSADC Protocol on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation isetshenziswe okwaphetha ngokubunjwa kukahulumende womanyano.

Khathesi, uMandaza leqembu lakhe bakhuluma labameli abakhulu be South Africa abasebenza kudiphathimenti ebona ngobudlelwano lokusebenzelana lamanye amazwe njalo ngesikhathi esifanayo bexoxisana labameli babohulumende abatshiyeneyo. NgoSeptember 28 uMandaza wakhuluma ngesilelo sabo esikolo sezombusazwe seOliver Tambo School OF Leadership lapho ayemenywe khona okwenza iziphathimandla zeZimbabwe zizonde kakhulu. NgoSeptember 30 uMandaza labanye bakhe bamenywa eMozambique ekunanzweni kwelanga lokuzalwa lika Samora Machel owayesefike iminyaka engu 90 njalo engomunye wabasebenza nzima ekulweleni uzibuse kwelaseMozambique. uMandaza labanye bakhe bahle basebenzisa ithuba lelo ukuthi bagcizelele isicelo sabo bekhulu lebandla elaletha uzibuse eleFRELIMO.

Ukuzisikela ehwahweni kwamabandla alwela inkululeko

Njengoba belibandla elaletha uzibuse ukuzibona ngani yibo abelelungelo lokubusa kweZANU -PF yikho osekubangele ingxabano endabeni yokhetho.

Ibandla leZanu PF selihlasele awayekhokhela i-SEOM kukhetho oludluleyo uDr Nevers Mumba kanye lomongameli weZambia uHaikinde Hichilema ophinda abe ngumgcinisihlalo weSADC Troika ngamazwi angabangela ukulwa. ITroika yiyo ethumela amaqembu okuhlola ukhetho njalo ukukhangela indaba zokuthula lokulondolozeka kwele SADC. Umkhulumeli weZANU-PF umnumzana Chris Mutsvangwa wathi umongameli Hichilema “kazange alwe impi yenkululeko” njalo “ungomunye wabothathekile abafisa ukubona amabandla alwela inkululeko ethathelwa amandla ombuso, I-ZANU-PF ingadliwa kuzenza ukuthi lase South Africa, Namibia kanye leTanzania lamanye amazwe abuswa ngamabandla alwela inkululeko kwenzakale okufanayo”. Ngamazwi la kutsho ukuthi umbono weZANU-PF ngowokuthi loba yiliphi ibandla elingazange lilwe empini yenkululeko alifanelanga libuse.

Umbono lo weZANU-PF awuthinti uIbbo Mandaza ongumhlonitshwa kwezombangazwe ngoba yena wayekhona njalo wahlanganyela ekulweleni inkululeko. Wayelilunga leZANU-PF elihlonitshwayo ngesikhathi beseMozambique njalo ngomunye wabokuqala ukuphatha izikhundla ezitshiyeneyo ekulungisisweni kwezokuvikela ilizwe kanye lokuhlelwa kwezisebenzi ilizwe selithole inkululeko yalo. Uke wafundisa eBotswana, Tanzania leZambia. Abanye abadumileyo kumzamo lo kazulu bahlanganisa uTrevor Ncube lo Fata uFidelis Mukonori. U-Ncube ngumhlonitshwa kwezokukhitshwa kwendaba eZimbabwe laseSouth Africa njalo wake wasebenza kudale lokucebisa umongameli uEmmerson Mnangagwa. UMukonori, ngumfundisi weRoma owaphatha inkulumo ezenziwa nguRobert Mugabe lezikhulu zamabutho okwaphetha ngokutshintshwana kwamandla ombuso.

Izinyathelo ezilandelayo zeSADC

I-SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation ilawula loba yiluphi udaba olungabangela ukungahlaliseki lodlakela emazweni angamalunga E-SADC njengoba kucaciswe kuArticle 11 yezibopho eyasayinwa yiZimbabwe. Isibopho lesi yiso esenza i-SADC ingenele ngo2008 ngesikhathi lapho ukhetho lungazange luqhutshwe kuhle okwaphetha ngokubunjwa kukahulumende womanyano. Ngakho ukuhlasela iTroika lokhu okwenziwa yiZimbabwe kutshengisa ukungazwisisi umsebenzi wayo.

U-2008 waba yisikhathi esiqakathekileyo kuSADC. I-ZANU-PF yalehlekelwa yizihlalo ezinengi edale lephalamende njalo yabhuqwa kukhetho lukamongameli welizwe uRobert Mugabe ethola 43% kanti uMorgan Tsvangirayi ebutha i47%. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi ukhetho luphindwe bengqikilana bebabili kuphela njengoba kungela owayethole i-50% yamavoti. Abanengi bathi uTsvangirai wayedlulile i-50% njalo kwakufanele abekwe njengomongameli welizwe.

I-Zimbabwe Electoral Commission yaqeda inyanga yonke ingamemezelanga umphumela wokhetho ngalesisikhathi I-ZANU-PF yenza udlakela olungakaze lubonakale. Amabandla ayencintisana avuma ukuphinda ukhetho engxoxweni ezazikhokhelwa yiSADC kodwa udlakela olwenziwa yiZANU-PF lwenza ibandla eliphikisayo ukuthi liphume kulolokhetho okwaphetha ngoMugabe esenza ukhetho eyedwa kungela oncintisayo. Ukuze kuxazululwe ukamukeleki komphumela wokhetho olungela oncintisayo i-SADC yancenga amabandla la amabili ukuthi abuse ndawonye kuze kulingiswe ukhetho olutsha ngemva kwesikhathi.

Okusikiselwayo khathesi yikuthuthukiswa kwesenzakalo sika 2008, kulokuthi amabandla aphikisanayo abe yiwo wodwa abumba uhulumende kusiikiselwa ukuthi kuhlanganiswa abamela uzulu lezikhwicamfundo. Ukuba labazakhangela ukuhanjiswa kwezinto abatshisekayo kuzanceda ukuthi into yakhona ingapheli amandla ngesikhathi esifitshane njengalokho okwenzakalo kuhulumende womanyano. Kulendlela ezinengi i-Troika engafeza ngakho konke lokhu. Okokuqala yikuba lomhlangano wamazwe asenhlanganisweni yeSADC ukuze kube lokuvumelana ukuthi udaba lweZimbabwe luxazululwe njani. I-Troika ilakho ukubumba iqembu elizabe likhulunywa lalo ukuze kuxazululwe udaba lolu (kucatshangwa ngeMandaza/Reeler Petition). Uhulumende kaMnangagwa angaze ale ukukhulumisana leSADC akula ndaba ngoba abanengi kunhlanganiso le abasekeli uhulumende lo.

Imbono etshiyeneyo e-SADC

I-ZANU-PF ilinyazwe kakhulu ngumbiko loweSEOM ngoba ibisijayele ukukhothwa yiSADC ingaze iqhube kubi ukhetho. I-SADC layo iyayengeka ngenxa yelunga layo eliyihlongandlebe. U-Cyril Ramaphosa weSouth Africa, uFilipe Nyusi weMozambique loFelix Tshisekedi weDemocratic Republic of Congo (laye okhangelane lokhetho ngoDecember) yibo bodwa inkokheli zamazwe ezabuyayo ekubekweni okusemthethweni kukaMnangagwa. Abanye abalitshumi lambili bakhetha ukudlalela khatshana okubonakilasa ukuthi amalunga e-SADC kaboni ngaso linye kuloludaba lweZimbabwe.

Abakhokheli ababekhona emncimbini wokubekwa esihlalweni kukaMnangagwa basolwa kakhulu ukuthi baphikisana lezifiso zamanye amalunga. Kanengi i-SADC iqala imelele umbiko ovela kwabahlola ukuqhutshwa kokhetho bengakakhethi ukuthi babe khona loba cha emincimbini yokubekwa esihlalweni komunye wabo. U-Ramaphosa nguye ochothozwe kakhulu ngoba iSouth Africa yiyo elakho ukukhokhela enkulumweni zokuxazulula ukungezwani lokhu ngakho kumele angabi lecele alissekelayo.

Kuzaphetha ngani eAfrica

Amaqembu amela izifiso zikazulu athi kumele kuhlanganiswe umuntu wonke ukuze ingxoxo ezingenziwa zixazulule inkemenkeme yonke le.

Indlela i-SADC ezaxazulula ngayo ukungaphathwa kuhle kokhetho yiyo ezanquma ukuhlonipheka lokwenelisa kwayo ukuqinisa izimiso zikahulumende wentandokazulu. Ingehluleka ukukwenza lokhu vele kuphelile ngoba ukhetho ngeke luphinde luhlonitshwe kusasa. Ukwamukelwa kombiko weSEOM kanye lesicelo sikazulu kutshengisa ukuthi abanengi bayazihlonipha izibopho lezimiso zeSADC. Izinyathelo lezi ezokuqala kumelwe ziqiniswe ngezinye ezinkulu ezizalandela nxa i-SADC ifisa ukulondoloza ukuhlonipheka kwayo emehlweni ezizalwane zamazwe asenhlanganisweni le. Njengoba ukuphathwa kuhle kokhetho kuqhubeka kusehla emazweni amanengi amanyathelo azathathwa yiSADC azanceda amazwe amanengi hayi eningizimu Africa Kuphela.