Minister Membe pays a courtesy visit to President Mugabe of Zimbabwe

President Robert Mugabe of the Republic of Zimbabwe awaits to receive Hon. Bernard K. Membe (MP), Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.  Minister Membe paid a courtesy visit earlier today at President Mugabe's State House on behalf of President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.

President Mugabe receives and welcomes Minister Membe to the State House.  Witnessing the special moment is Hon. Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe.  

President Mugabe shares some few laughters with Minister Membe during their meeting earlier today at his State House in Harare, Zimbabwe.  

Hon. Membe was in Zimbabwe to deliver the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Electoral Observer Mission Report, based upon the presidential elections that took place on July 31st, 2013.  Tanzania was a former Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation under the Chairmanship of His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania. 

Minister Membe takes time to explain to President Mugabe about the SADC's final report on the Zimbabwe's election.  H.E. Robert Mugabe was elected to his seventh term as President of Zimbabwe with 61%, leaving his opponent Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai with 34% of votes, according to the election commission in Zimbabwe.

Also in attendance was Ambassador David Kapya.

Also present were Hon. Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (seating-left), Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe and Ambassador Adadi Rajab (seating 2nd left) of the United Republic of Tanzania in Zimbabwe.

President Mugabe walks out Minister Membe, after they finished their discussion earlier today at his State House in Harare, Zimbabwe.  Also in the photo is Ambassador Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Namibia.  

All photos by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago 

Membe delivers SADC's Final Report on Zimbabwe's elections

Hon. Minister Bernard K. Membe (MP), Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation delivers the final report on the Zimbabwe's elections that took place on 31st of July, 2013.  

Hon. Membe has been the Head of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Electoral Observer Mission on behalf of the former Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Repulic of Tanzania. 

Some members of Diplomatic Corps and other Senior Government Officials from both Tanzania and Zimbabwe were present during the delivery of the final report.  

Membe delivers SADC's Final Report on the Zimbabwe’s Elections

By Tagie Daisy Mwakawago

Harare, Zimbabwe

“We want to reiterate again that the harmonized elections of the 31st of July were free and expressed the will of the people,” said Tanzania Foreign Minister Bernard K. Membe earlier today while delivering the SADC final report on the Zimbabwe’s Elections.

He further explained that President Robert Mugabe won the elections with flying colors, despite the media polarization and the delay of voters roll. 

Minister Membe was speaking at a press conference that was also attended by cabinet ministers, representatives of political parties and members of the diplomatic corps who had gathered at the Rainbow Towers Hotel and Conference Centre in Harare to witness the delivery of the SADC Election Observer Mission to Zimbabwe final report of which he was a Leader.

This SADC final report comes after the preliminary report issued on the 2nd of August 2013, which was issued by Minister Membe on behalf of the then Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.

“As you may recall, the main message in the preliminary report was that the elections in Zimbabwe were free and peaceful,” explained Hon. Membe. Previously, the SADC observer mission for the 31 July elections judged the vote as free and peaceful, but had not yet commented on its fairness and credibility aspect until today.

The Minister arrived yesterday night in Harare International Airport, and was received by Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and other Senior Government Officials.  The chief goal of the trip was to submit the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Electoral Observer Mission final report, based upon the presidential elections that took place on July 31st, 2013.  Tanzania was a former Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation under the Chairmanship of His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Repulic of Tanzania. 

“We were required as chair of the monitoring team of the SADC Election Observer Mission to deliver a report outlining the outcome of the process and also commending the nature of the elections,” said Hon. Membe.   The report will be delivered today at 10 a.m. local time in Harare.

President Robert Mugabe had landslide won the elections with 61 percent of the presidential votes and 76 percent of the parliamentary seats, leaving behind MDC-T Leader Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai with 33 percent.  The win extends President Mugabe yet another five years in addition to the already 33-year rule.

Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangira’s MDC party had recently withdrawn a legal challenge to the elections, claiming the courts would not be fair.

Answering reporters questions regarding the fairness of the elections, Minister Membe said that the SEOM has put forth a wide range of recommendations that include the need for the state media to provide equal opportunity to all competing parties in future elections.  “There must be a fair and balanced reporting,” highlighted the Minister.

On the issue of pirate tv and radio stations, Minister Membe strongly condemned the interference of the political process by broadcasters outside Zimbabwe.

Previously, the African Union Election Mission Head Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian President called the Zimbabwe election as free and peaceful.   

Meanwhile, the Southern African Heads of State and Government recently endorsed the Zimbabwe elections during the 33rd Summit in Lilongwe, Malawi and called for the lifting of the sanctions against Zimbabwe. 

SADC had deployed 573 observers to monitor the Zimbabwe elections, whereby it endorsed the elections as free and peaceful and that it had wholly reflected the will of the people of Zimbabwe.

End.

SADC delivers the final report on Zimbabwe’s elections

Mr. Robert Kahendaguza, the Acting Director of the Department of Regional Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes Hon. Minister Bernard K. Membe (MP), Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation to deliver the final report of the SADC Observer Mission to the Zimbabwe Elections (SEOM), earlier today in Harare.

Minister Membe listens to Mr. Kahendaguza, prior to his deliverance of the final report of the SEOM. 

Hon. Minister Membe delivers final report of the SADC Electoral Observer Mission in Zimbabwe earlier today at the Rainbow Towers Hotel and Conference Centre in Harare. 

Listening on are Cabinet Ministers and Members of Diplomatic Corps that include Hon. Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (4th left), Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe.   

Also in the audience is Ambassador Adadi Rajab (right) of the United Republic of Tanzania in Zimbabwe.

Ambassador George Mwanjabala (first left), former Ambassador of Tanzania to Zambia. Sitting behind is Mr. Isaac E. Mwakiluma (right), Minister Plenipotentiary at the Tanzania Embassy in Zimbabwe.

 Retired Ambassador David Kapya (2nd right) and Dr. Harold Utouh (3rd right). 

 Hon. Membe expresses on how the recent Zimbabwean elections were free, peaceful and credible. 

Minister Membe addresses the audience during the press conference. 

Commenting on is one of the members of the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission.

Hon. Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe shares few laughters with Zimbabwean Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Rita Makarau (right) and Deputy ZEC Chair Joyce Kazembe (center).

Minister Membe exchanges views with one of the members of Diplomatic Corps in Zimbabwe.

Hon. Membe shares a moment with one of the ZEC members and one of the members of the Diplomatic Corps. 

The two Foreign Ministers from Tanzania and Zimbabwe took time to exchange views after the delivery of the Final REport on Zimbabwe's Elections.

All photos by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago 

Minister Membe in Zimbabwe to submit SADC Electoral Observer Mission Report

Hon. Bernard K. Membe (MP), conducting an interview with National News Reporter upon his arrival at the Harare International Airport in Zimbabwe this evening (September 1, 2013). 

Hon. Membe is in Zimbabwe to submit a Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Electoral Observer Mission Report, based upon the presidential elections that took place on July 31st, 2013.  Tanzania was a former Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation under the Chairmanship of His Excellency Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Repulic of Tanzania. 

President Kikwete officially constituted the SADC Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) to the Republic of Zimbabwe and mandated the former SADC Executive Secretary, Dr.Tomáz Salamão to facilitate the administrative and logistical support for the Mission.  President Kikwete as a Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation further appointed Hon. Bernard K. Membe (MP), Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of the United Republic of Tanzania, to head the Mission.

The SEOM was officially launched in Harare, Zimbabwe, on March 10th, 2013.

Hon. Membe exchanges views with Ambassador Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Namibia. 

Hon. Membe in a discussion with Hon. Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe.   

H.E. Robert Mugabe was elected to his seventh term as President of Zimbabwe with 61%, leaving his opponent Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai with 34% of votes, according to the election commission in Zimbabwe.

Hon. Bernard K. Membe (center) in a preparatory meeting with Tanzania team of SEOM and the representative from Namibia (the current Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation).  Left is Ambassador Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Namibia and Ambassador George Mwanjabala, former Ambassador of Tanzania to Zambia. 

Ambassador David Kapya (right), SEOM observer from Tanzania was also present during the meeting.

Other delegation from Tanzania included Mr. Paul Patience Maokola (right), Project Director - Mtama Constituency, Dr. Harold Martin Lemnge Utouh (2nd right), Senior Lecturer in International Economics, Mr. Robert Kahendaguza (3rd right), Acting Director of the Department of Regional Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador Adadi Rajab (left), High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania in Zimbabwe.

All photos by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago