SADC SUMMIT DONE & DUSTED

By Own Correspondent

Amid a flurry of arbitrary arrests and heavy military deployment , the SADC summit roared into life this week ending on Saturday 17 August 2024. Almost all Heads of States attended the summit. There were only a few notable absentees whose absence was overwhelmed by the number present. A number of delegates including a whole lot of fake opposition leaders filled up the seats at the venue. A month long threats of protests during and before the summit were extinguished resulting in relative calm monitored by armed military and police personnel.

The only commandable resistance emerged from Zambia where the outgoing SADC Chairman and Zambian president Haikande Hichilema refused to be part of the charade. He opted to hand over the Chairmanship virtually with Zambian media citing security concerns as the main reason for non attendance. This came at no surprise given the diplomatic relations which have seriously imploded as a result of president Mnangagwa’s vitriol directed at Zambia and its president in his recent visit to Russia. Apart from Hilichema’s principled position , it was brotherhood as usual for the Heads of States in attendance. Gleefully encouraged by the ever avid fake opposition leaders , the summit moved on and resulted in president Mnangagwa being the new SADC chairman.

It is very important to note why Zanu PF fought very hard for the summit to be a success. The success of this summit politically means that 2023 elections are done and dusted. Any opposition leader still lamenting and refusing to accept the 2023 election outcome is wasting our people’s valuable time. These leaders had a chance to lead the people into protest action just after the elections & during the summit but dismally failed. SADC as a body cannot do anything for the people who are content with their elections and leaders. At least no action from the locals is viewed as acceptance. The fact that the summit was held successfully and resulting in Zimbabwe assuming the chairmanship demonstates and illustrates how SADC as a body has moved on anx accepted the ruling regime as a legitimate government of Zimbabwe. Our president will now preside over the SADC meetings and be given the respect and status of a SADC chairman. This is a validation that he won an election process acceptable to the SADC.

This external validation of the ruling regime in Harare has laid to rest all political contestation about the 2023 election outcome. Notable opposition leaders in attendance have also given solid credence on the legitimacy of the regime in Harare. Other African organisations like the African Union will have no qualms in accepting this reality. It is back to the drawing board for the average Zimbabwean either in prison or under the seering sun in this country. Another stolen election legitimatised , first by these conniving moonlighters masquerading as opposition leaders and by the SADC Heads of State.

The next course of action will be bible verses and more lying to our people. Our people must stay out of politics & find means of survival. Accept that , we have no elections in Zimbabwe but a guided process resulting in a winner chosen by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. While at that , let it also be clear that these elections happen without fail because all these opposition leaders they see are part of and work for the system.