The SADC Principles

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) adopted the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections at the SADC Summit in Mauritius in August 2004. The SADC agreement on elections sets out the following basic principles for the conduct of democratic elections which SADC Member States should follow:

1. Full participation of the citizens in the political process.
2. Freedom of expression.
3. Political tolerance.
4. Regular intervals for elections as provided for by the respective national constitutions.
5. Equal opportunity for all political parties to access the state media.
6. Equal opportunity to exercise the right to vote and be voted for.
7. Independence of the judiciary and impartiality of the electoral institutions.
8. Voter education.
9. Acceptance and respect of the elections results by political parties proclaimed to have been free and fair by the competent national electoral authorities in accordance with the law of the land.
10. Challenge of the election results as provided for in the law of the land.

Election Watch will look at the SADC Principles and Guidelines in more details in the future.