SADC Election Observer Mission at State House |15 December 2015

‘We have a responsibility to show the world we are serious about our democratic processes’

The head of the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) has said as members of the SADC in the region we all have a responsibility to show ourselves, our children and grandchildren as well as the rest of the world that we are serious about our democratic processes.

Ms Nyeleti Mondlane made the remark after meeting President James Michel who is also one of the candidates in the second round of the presidential election which starts tomorrow.  

Ms Mondlane said the democratic institutions are working well, we should show everyone that we will respect the outcomes of the election and look to the future.

“As SADC observers we have best practices to which SADC members ascribed to. Let’s keep those best practices as what we want to work for for the future,” she said. 

Ms Mondlane said so far the atmosphere prior to the election is calm and peaceful and no incidence of violence has been reported to them and she called on the people of Seychelles and all parties to keep it that way.

As has been the case with all stakeholders Ms Mondlane welcomed the opportunity to meet President Michel, who is also the leader of a political party running in the election, to talk about the very same things they have talked about with the other leaders.

She said they wanted to get his views on the election process, share with him their mission and discuss their role as election observers and to reassure him of their commitment to their mission.

The SEOM had already issued a statement on their observations of the first round of voting earlier this month and Ms Mondlane said the group will do the same after the forthcoming run-off which starts tomorrow.

She once again praised the Seychellois people for their great sense of maturity displayed during the first round of the election process where they went to vote peacefully and everyone, including the political parties, accepted the outcome of the first round calmly, peacefully and with a lot of dignity.

“We are hoping that the people of Seychelles and all the political parties at the highest level ensure that the same attitude continues and we are confident that this is going to happen,” Ms Mondlane pointed out.

Recognising the fact that the young people have an important role to play in ensuring that the election process goes well, Ms Mondlane said based on feedback from the young people themselves as well as from stakeholders, their approach to the process is a responsible one.