Political commentator Ibbo Mandaza

The extraordinary summit of Sadc heads of state and government, hosted by the bloc’s chairman, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, exposed the ineffectiveness of the regional grouping, amid growing concerns that it has become a duck limping with little chance of ending the region’s challenges, observers said.

Mnangagwa convened the summit in Harare at a time when the region is facing several conflicts, notably in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and recently in Mozambique, where an electoral conflict turned ugly.

Thousands of people have been killed in the conflict in eastern DRC, in a war that has forced some Sadc states to deploy troops there.

The latest conflict is one of many in this central African country.

In August 1998, Zimbabwe deployed troops to the DRC to support the government of the late Laurent Kabila, then his son Joseph.

In Mozambique, aid agencies say around 30 people were killed in clashes between protesters and the country’s army after the ruling Flerimo party’s candidate, Daniel Chapo, was declared the winner of an election in which the result was contested by the opposition.

Sadc leaders convened the extraordinary summit, which was snubbed by several leaders who chose to send representatives, with six of the 16 leaders attending the Harare summit.

Observers claimed yesterday that Sadc leaders had snubbed the bloc’s crucial meetings in recent years, with barely a full house recorded at most summits.

In an interview yesterday, renowned academic and political commentator Ibbo Mandaza said the Sadc, born from the frontline states, which fought the war of liberation in southern Africa, had become a pale shadow of it- even.

“The Sadc has become rather lame compared to previous versions of the system, when there was firm leadership in the region,” Mandaza said.

I’m talking about the time of (Julius) Nyerere, (Kenneth) Kaunda. We now have a very amorphous Sadc, indecisive and almost immersed in its own disorder, overwhelmed by its own failure.

“If we go back to the Zimbabwe elections last year, which a Sadc observation mission condemned, and to the Mozambique elections, which are currently a complete disaster, and more than 40 people have been killed, and you have a situation where the Sadc has been rather slow and where they have acted, the action makes no sense.

“And we have a summit going on, without a quorum, for heads of state who are expected to attend, an extraordinary emergency summit, at which only six heads of state out of 16 are present.”

Mandaza said recent developments have exposed the Sadc’s lack of seriousness as a regional bloc.

“It’s a big concern because if we look at Sadc’s record in the face of the escalating crises that we’ve seen unfold, it’s not great,” he said.

“I mean, do you think Sadc is really up to the task of addressing these current regional setbacks?

“The Sadc is no longer fit for purpose, in my opinion. We need to rethink the Sadc as an organization. It’s depressing, but it all speaks for itself.

“The summit agenda, as has become usual, also revolved heavily around the protracted conflicts in the DRC and Mozambique.

“Even though these issues are undeniably important, the regional body seems trapped in an endless cycle of deliberations with few tangible results,” add the political scientists.

Political analyst Abel Kapodogo said the summits had become predictable.

“Every year, the Sadc summit begins with great fanfare, but the results remain predictable,” Kapodogo said.

“The resolutions on the DRC and Mozambique have been recycled for decades, with no significant progress to show. »

In 2013, the Sadc authorized the deployment of the Force Intervention Brigade under the auspices of the United Nations, but its impact has been limited.

International relations expert Gerald Mandisonza questioned the political will of Sadc leaders.

“SADC leaders have become too comfortable issuing statements of concern,” Mandisonza said.

“There is no appetite for the difficult decisions needed to address the root causes of the conflict in the DRC or Mozambique.

“They have essentially outsourced their responsibilities to international bodies like the UN or the AU (African Union),” he said.

In Mozambique, the situation is also stagnant.

Although Sadc deployed a military mission in 2021 to combat the insurgency in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, progress has been uneven.

Insurgents remain active and development initiatives aimed at addressing the underlying grievances of poverty and marginalization in the region have lagged.

“Cabo Delgado is a glaring example of Sadc’s reactive approach,” Mandisonza said.

“They are rushing to deploy troops, but failing to implement strong socio-economic programs. This half-hearted commitment only prolongs the crisis.”

Another analyst, Pardon Taodzera, a professor of political science, argued that the Sadc’s principles and guidelines governing democratic elections have become mere window dressing.

“The region has seen contested elections in Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Mozambique, but Sadc reports often lack substance or clear recommendations for reform,” Taodzera said.

“The consensual model is the Achilles heel of the Sadc. It prioritizes unity over accountability and, therefore, no member state feels obligated to comply with resolutions or improve governance.

Meanwhile, Sadc Executive Secretary Elias Magosi stressed the need for dialogue on the disputed elections in the region as unrest continues in Mozambique following that country’s October 9 elections.

The elections saw Chapo win a decisive victory with over 70% of the vote, while opposition leader Venancio Mondlane received 20%.

Magosi gave a lecture at the Sadc extraordinary summit on Wednesday on the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the aftermath of the elections.

“Electoral processes should never degenerate into conflict, disrupt economic activities or endanger lives and property,” he said. “We urge all aggrieved parties to use the appropriate structures under the electoral laws to express their concerns and ensure the safety and well-being of citizens. »

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