The country, which has suffered from decades of civil conflict and economic instability, finds itself once again on the edge of a precipice, with violent clashes erupting on the streets in the wake of disputed electoral results. 

This latest unrest has underscored a long-standing issue: the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) toothlessness when it comes to addressing electoral conflicts and democratic violations across the region. 

SADC’s failure to act decisively in Mozambique, and in other countries such as Zimbabwe, is not only symptomatic of its inherent weaknesses but also of a deeper flaw in its role as a regional peace and stability organization.

The ongoing violence in Mozambique comes in the wake of the October 9, 2024 elections, where the ruling FRELIMO party, led by Daniel Chapo, was declared the winner with an overwhelming 70% of the vote. 

Opposition parties, led by Venancio Mondlane, have categorically rejected these results, alleging widespread electoral fraud. 

Mondlane’s supporters have taken to the streets in protest, demanding that the election results be overturned and a new election be held. 

The protest was met with heavy police repression, with officers using tear gas and, in some instances, live ammunition to disperse crowds. 

Tragically, the violence escalated with the killing of Mondlane’s lawyer and spokesperson, adding further fuel to the already volatile situation.

What is most disturbing, however, is not just the escalating violence in Mozambique, but the regional and international response—or lack thereof. 

Despite the clear signs of election-related violence and electoral fraud, the SADC election observer mission, which had been deployed to monitor the polls, immediately declared the elections “peaceful, free, and fair,” an assessment that stands in stark contrast to the reality on the ground. 

This contradictory stance reflects a wider problem within SADC: a failure to take meaningful action against democratic violations within its member states.

The SADC observer mission’s declaration that the elections in Mozambique were free and fair, even as opposition supporters were being gunned down by security forces, speaks to the impotence of the organization in addressing electoral malpractices. 

In a region where electoral fraud, intimidation, and violence against political opponents have become endemic, this toothless stance has become all too common. 

SADC’s inability to hold member states accountable for breaches of its own principles and guidelines concerning democratic elections has left the region vulnerable to political instability and conflict.

Mozambique’s crisis is not an isolated incident. 

In Zimbabwe, similar concerns were raised following the August 2023 elections, where the ruling ZANU-PF party was widely accused of flouting electoral laws and using violence to suppress the opposition. 

Despite these clear violations, SADC’s response was tepid, and its election observer mission did little to address the systemic issues that led to the electoral crisis. 

In an unprecedented move, SADC’s own observer mission in Zimbabwe admitted that the elections had fallen short of regional guidelines. 

Yet, the regional body’s heads of state, who have the final say in such matters, failed to take any meaningful action. 

It was left to the people of Zimbabwe who desisted from protesting which prevented the country from descending into full-blown chaos.

While SADC did eventually call for an extraordinary summit on Mozambique’s election crisis, only after violence had erupted, this reactive approach highlights the fundamental flaws in the organization’s operational philosophy. 

SADC has repeatedly demonstrated its inability to take preemptive action to prevent such crises from occurring in the first place. 

By the time SADC responds to electoral violence, it is often too late to prevent the conflict from escalating. 

The situation in Mozambique is a case in point—only after violence erupted did SADC call for an extraordinary summit to address the matter, which is scheduled for November 16-20, 2024. 

Given the region’s track record of inaction, one can only wonder whether this summit will yield anything of substance, or whether it will be yet another instance of empty rhetoric and fruitless calls for dialogue.

The SADC Conundrum: Why It Fails to Act

Why does SADC continue to act reactively rather than proactively when it comes to addressing electoral conflicts in the region? 

One of the main reasons lies in the very structure and functioning of the regional body. 

SADC’s decision-making process is based on consensus, which often results in deadlock when it comes to dealing with sensitive issues like electoral fraud or political violence. 

Member states, many of which are led by authoritarian regimes or governments with questionable democratic credentials, are reluctant to take action against one another for fear of setting a precedent that could eventually affect their own rule.

Moreover, SADC’s commitment to upholding democratic principles is undermined by its reluctance to confront its members about electoral malpractices. 

In principle, SADC is committed to promoting democracy, peace, and security in the region, as outlined in its 1992 Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. 

This protocol emphasizes the importance of holding free, fair, and credible elections, as well as the protection of human rights and the rule of law. 

However, in practice, SADC has consistently failed to hold its members accountable for violating these principles. 

The result is that leaders like Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi and Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa are able to sidestep international scrutiny, knowing that SADC is unlikely to take any meaningful action against them.

The region’s failure to take action is also compounded by the political realities of SADC. 

Many of the heads of state in SADC are former liberation movement leaders who are more concerned with maintaining the political status quo than with promoting genuine democratic reform. 

As a result, they often protect one another from external criticism, even when it is clear that elections have been rigged or violence has been used to suppress political opposition.

A Call for SADC to Have Teeth

At its core, SADC’s failure to act decisively in the face of election-related conflicts stems from a lack of political will and institutional strength. 

For the regional body to have any meaningful impact on the political stability of its member states, it must begin to enforce its own principles and guidelines. 

The time has come for SADC to stop being a mere talk shop and take concrete steps to address electoral malpractices.

One possible solution would be for SADC to establish a more robust mechanism for monitoring elections and ensuring compliance with its democratic guidelines. 

This could involve setting up an independent body tasked with investigating allegations of electoral fraud, voter intimidation, and violence. 

Such a body should have the authority to recommend sanctions against member states that fail to adhere to SADC’s principles. 

Without such a mechanism, SADC will continue to be seen as a toothless organization that is unable or unwilling to address the root causes of conflict in the region.

Furthermore, SADC should adopt a more proactive approach to electoral monitoring. 

Elections are not just one-day events but rather long processes that unfold over months or even years. 

Intimidation, violence, and manipulation of the media are tactics often employed well before election day. 

SADC must recognize this reality and begin to monitor the political environment in member states well in advance of elections. 

This would involve closer scrutiny of electoral laws, the media landscape, and the political climate leading up to the polls, as well as a greater focus on protecting the rights of political opponents and civil society actors.

Conclusion: A Fork in the Road for SADC

As the situation in Mozambique continues to unravel, and with the region’s other electoral crises lurking in the background, SADC stands at a crossroads. 

The regional body can continue on its current path of inaction, providing lip service to democratic principles while doing little to prevent electoral violence and fraud. 

Alternatively, it can choose to strengthen its institutions, enforce its own guidelines, and hold its members accountable for violating the democratic rights of their citizens.

The people of southern Africa deserve better. 

They deserve a regional body that is committed to the protection of their rights, the integrity of their elections, and the peaceful resolution of political disputes. 

As long as SADC continues to fail in this regard, the region will remain vulnerable to the kind of post-election conflicts that are now playing out in Mozambique. 

The time for empty statements and reactive summits has passed. 

SADC must act, and it must act now. 

© Copyright The Zimbabwean. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).