President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, who is also the Southern African Development Community Troika chairperson, convened a virtual meeting today which discussed Zimbabwe’s disputed harmonized elections that were condemned by regional and international observers.
The virtual summit, attended by Namibian President Hage Geingob, the leader of the Democratic Republic of Congo Felix Tshisikedi and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu, also discussed the security situation in DRC.
In a statement issued by Zambia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, the leaders tabled the SADC Electoral Observation Mission report on Zimbabwe’s harmonised elections as well as other impending elections in the SADC region.
Zambia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “The values and principles that underpin the promotion of democracy and good governance are also the foundation of Zambia’s foreign policy.”
The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change led by Nelson Chamisa has rejected the outcome of the general elections, which were also condemned by SADC, the African Union and European Union.
According to SADC, AU and EU, the polls fell short of regional and international standards.
But President Emmerson Mnangagwa told the United Nations General Assembly last week that the elections were free, fair, credible and transparent.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announced that Mnangagwa got 52.6 percent of the vote.