Southern African Development Community heads of state and government meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, called on the three principals in Zimbabwe's national unity government to resolve all the outstanding issues troubling their power-sharing arrangement and fully implement the Global Political Agreement of 2008.
Discussing the political situation in Zimbabwe, among other issues, at a summit that ended Tuesday, SADC leaders applauded South African President Jacob Zuma, mediator for the regional organization in Zimbabwe, for the progress he has achieved seeking a lasting solution to the longstanding unity government impasse.
But there were conflicting reports coming out of Namibia as to the prospect of elections next year.
Spokesman Nelson Chamisa of the Movement for Democratic Change formation of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told VOA that the SADC troika or committee on defense, politics and security recommended that elections be held to resolve the power-struggle in Harare. But aides to President Zuma dismissed this information.
Zuma foreign policy adviser Lindiwe Zulu told VOA Studio 7 reporter Ntungamili Nkomo that SADC leaders were pleased at progress in Harare, and she dismissed the notion of elections taking place next year.
There were "no such recommendations" on elections," Zulu said. "What happened is that the SADC leaders urged the principals to finalize implementing the Global Political Agreement," Zulu said.
Zimbabwe Election Support Network Chairman Tinoziva Bere said elections in Zimbabwe should only be held if and when broad and fundamental political and electoral reforms have been carried out.
