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Zimbabwe’s former Coloniser, United Kingdom UK House of Lords has said Zimbabwe’s upcoming 2023 watershed general elections are the biggest litmus test for the country’s readmission into the Commonwealth of Nations.
The House of Lords believes there is nothing pointing in the direction of readmission of their former Southern African Colony, as Sonny Leong, a British Labour Party legislator made his case.
Speaking during a parliamentary debate, recently on what the UK was doing about Zimbabwe’s readmission bid, Leong said,
“In the context of Zimbabwe’s application to re-join the Commonwealth, the 2023 election could and should be an opportunity for the government to demonstrate its democratic credentials. Sadly, the portents are not good,” he said.
The Commonwealth came to a unanimous consensus that Zimbabwe should be readmitted.
Nevertheless Zimbabwe’s Commonwealth readmission bid biggest hurdle is the upcoming Presidential, Parliamentary, Senatorial and Council Elections set for this year.
The British Labour Party Legislator , Leong asked whether keeping Zimbabwe outside the Commonwealth of Nations grouping would do any good.
Leong pointed out the Commonwealth itself was not entirely in good standing, with some of its members also violating basic human rights.
As if fighting in Zimbabwe’s corner, Leong added that, asking too much of Zimbabwe was not fair on other issues as repealing the death penalty should not be a factor to consider other than human rights issues fundamentally and specifically this year’s upcoming Presidential Parliamentary Senatorial and Council Elections.
“[The Commonwealth is a progressive bloc], however, that does not make me blind to the flaws and inconsistencies of the organisation and its constituent nations.
“On the issue of capital punishment, for example, only 37% of Commonwealth countries have abolished the death penalty in law, compared with 57% of all countries internationally,” Leong argued.
Many Commonwealth nations have fervently defended their sovereign right to retain it. The Uk Parliamentarian however agreed the former Colonial Master must loudly condemn atrocious abuses of power being enacted in Zimbabwe, let us be wary of making demands of a country that, sadly, some current members would not themselves meet.
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