Hakainde Hichilema Announces SADC Head of Mission

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) are launching an Election Observer Mission (SEOM) in the Republic of Zimbabwe from August 17th to August 31st, 2023. The mission is being implemented in adherence to the SADC’s Principles and Guidelines for Governing Democratic Elections and intends to ensure that Zimbabwe’s upcoming election on August 23rd will be carried out with fairness, transparency, and credibility.

Typically, a SEOM is supervised by the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, a role recently taken up by President Hakainde Hichilema.

Once a SEOM observer has been elected from each SADC member state, the Chairperson of the Organ will then announce the Head of Mission (HoM) to deploy on the SEOM to the election state - a decision voted on by chosen representatives in the SADC.

In a Facebook post, Hichilema expressed his pleasure at naming former Vice President Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba as the HoM for Zimbabwe’s upcoming election mission. He wrote that the “appointment of Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba showcases the confidence of the Zambian people, reflecting his extensive experience in various senior roles he has held in the past.”

The SEOM will start on August 17th and will coincide with the upcoming SADC Summit to be held in Angola.

Two days after poling day, the Hom will then release a Preliminary Statement at a public forum which covers the Mission’s observations, then thirty days after the conclusion of the election cycle, a final report will be released.

Hichilema also declared his hopes for a fair election in Zimbabwe, telling his followers that the SADC “remain optimistic and eagerly anticipate a peaceful and democratic electoral process before, during, and after the elections in Zimbabwe, and wish the people of that great nation the best.”