Tanzania invites SADC observers as it prepares free, fair, transparent elections

ANTANANARIVO: THE Tanzanian Vice President, Dr. Philip Mpango, has assured the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states that his country has made strong progress in its preparations to hold free, fair, and transparent General Elections on October 29, this year.

 Dr Mpango has also extended an official invitation to the SADC member states to send an observer mission to monitor the electoral process.

Dr. Mpango made the remarks yesterday while delivering the opening speech at the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the SADC Organ on politics, defence, and security held in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Dr. Mpango highlighted several key achievements during Tanzania’s tenure as chair of the organ, which is responsible for overseeing issues of peace, security, and stability in the SADC region.

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Among the achievements noted, he stated that under President Samia’s one-year leadership of the organ, the SADC region has largely remained peaceful and stable, except the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict are still underway.

 These efforts include mediation processes under the Luanda and Nairobi initiatives, as well as resolutions adopted during joint summits of the East African Community (EAC) and SADC Heads of State.

He added that as part of these initiatives, a panel of Elders has been formed to assist in conflict resolution, and technical teams from EAC, SADC, and the African Union (AU) have been integrated to work together. A framework and terms of reference for handling the DRC conflict have also been established.

Dr. Mpango emphasized the importance of African-led solutions to African conflicts, stressing that affected countries must demonstrate genuine commitment and ownership in resolving their own challenges. He also noted that during Tanzania’s chairmanship, the country led programs focused on conflict prevention and resolution, deployment of peacekeeping forces to politically unstable regions, strengthening democratic institutions, and heading election observer missions in Botswana, Namibia, Mauritius, and Mozambique.