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Prominent political analyst Ibbo Mandaza has told Zimbabweans that the recent assumption of the SADC Troika chairmanship by Zambian leader and Zimbabwe opposition ally Hakainde Hichilema will not change anything in terms of the political situation the country.
The coming in of the Zambian leader who is perceived as an ally of the Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Advocate Nelson Chamisa had given hope to millions of Zimbabweans who have been yearning for change in the country.
Professor Mandaza said that the regional bloc was not in any position to shift from its lukewarm responses to the crisises bedevilling Zimbabwe.
“It is essentially an interstate organization, and therefore statist in orientation, almost impervious to and unable to deal with crises.”
“Therefore, it’s unlikely that Hakainde Hichilema will dare act beyond the usual that has been expected of a member of SADC ever since its inception in April 1980. It would be good if he surprised us though,”he said.
Zimbabwe is going to polls later this year and Zimbabweans had pinned their hopes on Hichilema to use his influence as chairman of SADC’s Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation to pressure Zimbabwe into implementing key political reforms inorder to prevent another disputed election.
The run up to the election has already been stained by allegations of political violence targetting opposition supporters and the country had looked up to the regional bloc to intervene.
Last weekend, regional leaders convened in Windhoek, Namibia, for the SADC extraordinary Troika Summit, which addresses regional security crises.
The crises in Mozambique and the Kingdom of Eswatini were on the agenda, but Zimbabwe’s electoral agenda was not.
Mr. Hichilema, who spent many years in opposition politics, stepped in for the first time since becoming Zambian leader, to assume chairmanship of the revolving post of SADC’s Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation.
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