Harare, February 20, 2018 (New Ziana) – The seamless change of government in Zimbabwe last year proved to the world that Zimbabwe can manage its internal processes peacefully without foreign interference, a senior official from the ruling Swapo party of Namibia said on Tuesday.
Zimbabwe is under a new administration led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa after the military stepped into government affairs last year through an operation code named Restore Legacy mounted to address a political situation which it said threatened to degenerate into violence.
The military action triggered a series of events which culminated in the resignation of the former President Robert Mugabe who faced a motion of no confidence by his own party in Parliament had he not done so.
Grave security concerns following months of rampant infighting in the ruling Zanu PF party which had seen unprecedented dismissals of party officials, including two Vice Presidents triggered the military intervention.
The dismissals were widely viewed as an attempt to prime former First Lady Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband.
Despite the widespread support that the military action received both at home and abroad, some bitter former Zanu PF members have been lobbying regional and continental bodies to declare it unlawful, and in turn de-legitimise the new regime.
Visiting Swapo chief whip Lebbius Tangeni Tobias commended Zimbabweans for ensuring a peaceful transition.
“I should really congratulate the leaders and the people of Zimbabwe because they have really proven to the whole world that they are very peaceful. They know how to handle their political situations, or political issues in a very peaceful manner,” he said after a meeting with Zanu PF chief whip Lovemore Matuke.
“All of us have seen how the transition has gone. There was no death, nothing, everything went accordingly and this is really why I am saying we congratulate the leadership of Zimbabwe and we congratulate the citizens of Zimbabwe that they had a very peaceful transition.”
Asked for his thoughts on preparations for elections, which President Mnangagwa has promised would be free, fair and credible, Tobias said the Sadc region and beyond was looking forward to the plebicite, due in July this year.
“So far we have learned that preparations are in full swing and they are going on very smoothly and we are also monitoring as we have an interest because Zimbabwe is our sister country,” he said.
To date, Zimbabwe has completed a national voter registration program with continuous registration still going on at 63 district centres countrywide.
At least 5.3 million people have registered to vote in the impending election.