Staff Reporter
THE political situation and status of the multi-sector reforms process in Lesotho will feature prominently on the agenda of this week’s Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state and government meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation minister, Naledi Pandor, this week said South African President and SADC facilitator to Lesotho, Cyril Ramaphosa, will brief SADC leaders on the political situation and status of the multi-sector reforms process in Lesotho.
Ms Pandor also said that Zambia, the outgoing chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, will also present a report on the status of regional peace and security.
“In his capacity as the SADC facilitator to the Kingdom of Lesotho, President Ramaphosa will present a report on developments in the facilitation process during the SADC Troika Summit of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation on 16 August 2019.
During this meeting, President Ramaphosa will be supported by Retired Deputy Chief Justice Moseneke,” Ms Pandor told the media in Pretoria.
Regional sources this week told the Lesotho Times that Zimbabwe, which will take over the chairship of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation at the Tanzania summit, is not satisfied with the pace of the reforms process and it is considering placing Lesotho high up on the list of “flashpoints” in the region.
This classification, according to the sources, will enable the region to increase the monitoring of developments in the country and ensure that responses to the security situation are prioritised by the regional body.
“Lesotho will feature prominently on the agenda alongside Malawi which has been rocked by massive demonstrations and instability ever since it held its general elections in May this year,” said a senior Zimbabwean government official in an interview with the Lesotho Times.
“Priority will be given to the Malawi situation because its President, Peter Mutharika, has formally approached Zimbabwe, as the incoming chair of the SADC Organ on Politics to intervene because the anti-government protests are escalating towards a point where the government feels it will not be able to deal with them on its own.
“On the other hand, despite its challenges, Lesotho government leaders have not formally asked the SADC Organ on Politics to intervene.
“Never-the-less, Zimbabwe feels the instability in Lesotho has gone on for far too long and special attention needs to be given to Lesotho to expedite the implementation of the multi-sector reforms that should have been completed in May this year.
“Zimbabwe feels that during its tenure as chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Zambia was laidback and lackadaisical in its approach to the Lesotho situation. Zimbabwe wants to be more proactive so that it will be able to look back and say it successfully oversaw the implementation of the reforms in Lesotho and addressed the security situation in Lesotho and other SADC’s hotspots.”
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba recently told the Lesotho Times that Zimbabwe wants to ensure the full implementation of the multi-sector reforms in Lesotho but it will take its cue from President Ramaphosa’s report to the regional leaders in Tanzania and the resolutions that will follow from the regional leaders’ discussions on the issue.
“As the incoming chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Zimbabwe will work to address situations that threaten regional stability. As for Lesotho, our approach will be guided by the report that will be tabled by president Ramaphosa and the resolutions that will be taken by the regional leaders,” Mr Charamba told this publication.
Ironically, Zimbabwe assumes the chair of the SADC Organ on Politics at a time when the country is facing serious political and economic challenges of its own. The security situation has remained volatile ever since President Mnangagwa came to power on the back of a disputed election victory on 31 July 2018.
Even as regional leaders gather in Tanzania, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change has planned massive demonstrations tomorrow to force President Mnangagwa to the negotiating table to resolve legitimacy issues surrounding his election victory as well as to address the deteriorating socio-economic and security situation.
Despite its pressing problems, Zimbabwe is not on the SADC agenda. A senior government official told this publication that “there is no way we, as the chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, will put ourselves on the SADC agenda”.
