By Nkosana Dlamini
SADC Heads of State and Government will this weekend arrive in Victoria Falls for the 17-18 August 2014 34thregional summit aware of the myriad issues that demand their immediate attention.
These include regional stability, trade protocols, poverty eradication, power generation, human trafficking and the threat of the Ebola virus finding its way into the region.
The theme of the conference, “Sadc Strategy for Economic Transformation: Leveraging the Region’s Diverse Resources for Sustainable Economic and Social Development through Beneficiation and Value Addition” while being a mouthful indicates an intention at regional economic self reliance.
But away from the niceties of the theme, the population in the region expects that their issues will be addressed in a pragmatic fashion.
Certainly, not the evidently cosmetic and often casual leadership that comes with one state leader stepping in to replace another in feeling the rotating SADC chair.
Far from the ornamental interiors of the majestic Elephant Hills hotel , the venue for the summit, is that little Southern African girl, who longs for a better future.
As President Robert Mugabe takes to the podium to accept added responsibility as new SADC chair, he can be reminded of the challenges he faces in his own backyard.
But outside an outright action to remedy their misfortunes, Zimbabweans would find the summit as just another of those events that serve no purpose further than masking their aging President’s leadership flaws. And they are apparent.
“I have not cared to think about this at all,” says Mbonisi Ndiweni, a Chitungwiza stone sculptor, “unless if the summit was some sports tournament like the soccer world cup where the benefits are visible and us ordinary people also benefit from the spoils.
Tom Gumede, another ordinary Zimbabwean, says the summit only brings memories of how SADC, under Mugabe’s instigation, disbanded the SADC Tribunal which gave recourse to locals short-changed by its repressive laws and biased courts.
He adds: “There is nothing much to expect from the SADC Heads of State Club. The club has failed the region when it mattered most.
“Mugabe’s assumption of leadership will only serve to further erase Zimbabwe from the SADC agenda aided by a naive response to the national question by the opposition in Zimbabwe.
“Recent squabbles in the opposition have really exposed and taken off the venom from an otherwise strong movement for democracy in Zimbabwe.”
Social and economic justice activist, Thomas Deve, also involved with the SADC People’s summit, says Zimbabweans should not trust their affairs entirely on SADC leaders.
“We have a situation where the SADC leaders say if Zimbabweans are not making noise about their own situation, who are we to do so, let sleeping dogs lie.
“But we feel the democratic deficit is something that affects SADC but its an area where they have failed,” Deve says.
Similarly, former SADCC executive secretary and now opposition leader Simba Makoni says Mugabe’s new post as chair would not add any meaningful value to the organisation given the 90 year old leader’s failure to remedy the many challenges in his own backyard.
But after all the SADC summit fever is gone, it would be back to the stubborn realities for Mugabe.
