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Democracy and elections have become synonymous as neither can ever be sustained without the other. The attainment of free, fair and credible elections has become the major indicator for democracy and more and more countries have subjected their elections to heavy scrutiny from international observers in order to prove the existence of democracy.

In Zimbabwe local, regional and international electoral observer missions, some of whom had last came to Zimbabwe almost two decades ago, were invited to observe the 2018 general elections.

The elections were later described as the most “free and fair” that the country has ever held since independence in 1980.

President Mnangagwa, in his capacity as chairman of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, recently appointed Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri to lead the region’s Observer Mission to Mozambique’s presidential, provincial and legislative elections.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo, is also heading the SADC Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) in Botswana after being assigned by his principal.

Minister Moyo said the deployment of the SEOM was preceded by a pre-election assessment and goodwill mission of the Sadc Electoral Advisory Council from August 18 to 25.

“As we launch the Sadc electoral observer mission, our observations will focus on the pre- and post-election periods which include the campaigns, voting day and the process of the counting of the ballot papers,” said Minister Moyo.

On Monday, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri chaired a consultative meeting of Heads of Missions observing elections in Mozambique.

The SEOMs will assess the conduct of elections in Botswana and Mozambique in accordance with bloc’s revised guidelines governing democratic elections.

President Mnangagwa’s regional role in maintaining peace and the promotion of democratic processes in the region can never be overlooked.

Sadc has very high standards when it comes to elections.

Former US President Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as “government of the people, by the people, and for the people”.

A government “for the people” is one that is actually chosen by “the people” and that represents or advances the people’s interests.

The word democracy itself is derived from the Greek phrase “demos cratos” which literally translates into “people’s power or rule”.

The exercise of the power to rule by the people is then derived first and foremost from elections.

The people must first choose their leaders in order to facilitate the democratic running of their affairs.

The executive arm of government and the legislator are the institutions which derive their power directly from the people in this regard. Unlike in autocracies, theocracies and monarchs, in democracies, leaders must derive their mandate from the people.

Despite choosing leaders, elections also facilitate the transfer of power.

Countries regarded as the most democratic nations in the world which include US and the UK, hold regular elections and power has continued to be transferred from two or more parties.

In the UK for example, power has rotated between the Labour, Conservatives and coalitions.

In Africa, a number of countries have successfully held credible elections that have facilitated the peaceful transfer of power.

Senegal (2012), Nigeria (2015), Tanzania (2015) and Ghana (2016) are some of the examples.

According to the AU’s Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections, while state parties should commit to the holding of regular, transparent, free and fair elections, such commitment must be actualised by State parties’ ability to, among other basic electoral tenets: establish and strengthen independent and impartial national election bodies; ensure there are mechanisms to resolve election disputes timeously, and ensure that there is a legally enforceable code of conduct for all those involved in elections.

The bodies that manage and conduct elections are coming under intense citizen and stakeholder scrutiny for the manner in which they are composed, how they organise and perform their mandates, and the outcomes they achieve.

We applaud the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, its chair President Mnangagwa and his team for playing a pivotal role in the upholding of democracy in the region.