SADC Summit Sparks Outrage as Zimbabwe and Mozambique Crises Remain Unaddressed

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, which took place in Luanda yesterday, convened by His Excellency Mr. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, the President of the Republic of Angola and the Chairperson of SADC, has stirred widespread outrage due to the notable absence of discussions on critical matters pertaining to Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

SADC confirmed in a statement that they received an update on elections in member states and noted the report of the SADC Election Observation Mission in Zimbabwe and Eswatini. However, there was no mention of Mozambique, despite the troubling reports of over 111 people detained and held in custody without trial in Nampula.

“Summit received an update on the elections in the SADC Member States and noted the report of the SADC Election Observation Mission to the harmonized Elections in the Republic of Zimbabwe held in August 2023, and the General Elections in the Kingdom of Eswatini in September 2023.”

The disappointment of many Zimbabweans and Mozambicans, stemming from the absence of discussions on critical matters pertaining to their countries during the recent SADC Summit, has not only fueled heated debate but has also ignited a fervent call for self-determination raising questions regarding the effectiveness and purpose of SADC’s mission in the region.

In an interview with The Southernlive, Human Rights Activist Elvis Mugari, a founding member of Occupy Africa Unity Square (OAUS), a civic rights organization that champions democracy and good governance in Zimbabwe, expressed concern about SADC’s failure to discuss Zimbabwe’s issues.

“The failure by SADC to discuss Zimbabwe at the recently held summit is evident that the organization has strayed from its original mission. SADC, once envisioned as a platform for regional cooperation and development, has, in recent years, transformed into a consortium dominated by authoritarian regimes,” said Mugari.

He also added that the SADC’s insufficient response to the regional crisis, encompassing conflicts in Mozambique and Zimbabwe, is a significant cause for concern, emphasizing the necessity of decisively addressing the Zimbabwe issue, as the ongoing challenges in Zimbabwe could result in widespread repercussions for regional stability.

Professor Adriano Nuvunga, Director of CDD and chairperson of the Southern African Human Defenders Network, expressed shock that the extraordinary summit ignored recent electoral fraud and the subsequent brutality against protesters who are protesting the election results in Mozambique.

“We were both surprised and deeply concerned by SADC’s apparent disregard for crucial issues in Mozambique. These include recent electoral fraud, the brutality against peaceful protesters who were expressing their discontent with the election results, and the alarming occurrences of attacks and killings of innocent individuals in the city of Nampula,” said Prof Nuvunga

Notably, 11 people tragically lost their lives at the hands of the police in the Nabicopo area of Nampula, while two more individuals perished in Namutekeliwa, and an additional 11 people were admitted to the hospital with injuries caused by firearms.

Around 111 individuals have been apprehended, with reports of some enduring torture, as part of apparent efforts to discourage those seeking to express their grievances regarding the allegedly fraudulent elections in Maputo, Mantola, Telemani, and Nankala.

He also emphasized that the SADC mission in Northern Mozambique(SANIM), is nearing the end of its one-month mission, yet SADC failed to address the matter or provide any clarity regarding the mission’s continuity.

“We find it shocking that the SADC met at its highest level and did not address these pressing issues especially the uncertainty surrounding SANIM’s future in Cabo Delgado which is of utmost importance, as it plays a vital role in supporting Mozambique’s efforts to combat violent extremism,” Prof Nuvunga said.

However, during the summit, various critical regional issues were discussed, with a spotlight on the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC), where the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation the Eastern DRC was a significant point of concern.

The ongoing violence that erupted in the last two years in the Eastern DRC has resulted in the displacement of 600,000 people, making it an urgent matter for the SADC to address.

Another noteworthy discussion at the summit, focused on the need for SADC to lead efforts in mobilizing resources for peace and security within the region.

This included reviving discussions to establish and operationalize the SADC Peace Fund, an important tool in promoting stability and peace in the region.

Some of the notable leaders who attended the summit include President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema, and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, among others.