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President Hakainde Hichilema has appointed former vice president, Enock Kavindele, as Head of Mission for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The DRC is slated to hold its Presidential, Legislative, and Provincial Elections on December, 20, 2023, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Stanely Kakubo.
Kakubo made the announcement in a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday.
He said Hichilema had appointed Kavindele in his capacity as Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
Kakubo stated that the President had also appointed Ambassador, Lazarous Kapambwe, as Alternate Head of Mission for the SEOM to the DRC.
“Article 4 of the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections of 2021, provides that SADC shall observe all general elections held in its Member States, in order to promote electoral integrity, justice, good governance and stability in the SADC region,” he said.
Kakubo added that Kavindele and Kapambwe would work closely with representatives of the SADC Organ Troika from Zambia, Tanzania and Namibia, as well as the SADC Secretariat, the SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC) and the SADC Panel of Elders.
He said in addition, all SADC Member States are expected to provide officials to be deployed as SADC Observers across the DRC.
“The SEOM will also engage the relevant Stakeholders in the DRC and other Electoral Observation Missions in the process of executing its important mandate of observing the upcoming elections,” Kakubo emphasized.
He stated that the Ministry was confident that Kavindele and Kapambwe would complement efforts and carry out their duties diligently.
The former vice president was also Head of SEOM for the elections in the Kingdom of Eswatini in September 2023, while Kapambwe served as Alternate Head of SEOM in the elections in Madagascar in November 2023.
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