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The Elders heading to Zimbabwe ahead of elections

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The Elders are headed to Zimbabwe on Thursday to lend their weight to calls for free and fair elections, and for stakeholders to accept the results. They will be followed by a Commonwealth Observer mission that will be headed by former Ghanaian President John Mahama.

Spreading Madiba magic, the elders’ next stop is Zimbabwe where elections will be held in two weeks. “ We are going to have honest and frank discussions with all stakeholders, political leaders, civil society, church groups as well as diplomats about working together to a free and fair election, with integrity and legitimacy to avoid violence and accept the results of the elections,” says  Chair of Elders Kofi Annan.

Depending on how elections go, the former member of the Commonwealth could be re-admitted.

“Zimbabwe has invited us to do so on the basis that they have indicated that they would like to re-join the commonwealth and one of the first steps is for me to make an assessment of whether they are able to meet the values that are contained in the commonwealth charter. Part of that is going to involve us going to Zimbabwe and observing how they manage this election because freedom and participation in electoral processes are the fundamental part of having a real democracy so we will be sending an observer mission that will be headed by former President of Ghana Mr John Mahama and he is going to lead and present his report,” says Commonwealth Secretary General Baroness Patricia Scotland.

Zimbabweans will cast their ballots on July 30.

Hundreds of young people have gathered at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg to walk with the elders to mark the Nelson Mandela centenary birthday celebrations.

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