AFRICA/LESOTHO - Elections: a delegation of Bishops of Southern Africa as observer in the national elections

Maseru (Agenzia Fides) - A delegation of the Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) is in Lesotho as observer in the national elections to be held on February 28th. In a note sent to Agenzia Fides, His Exc. Mgr. José Luis, Bishop of Manzini (Swaziland), recalls that IMBISA is a liaison and pastoral collaboration body among the Episcopal Conferences of Angola and Sao Tome (CEAST); Lesotho (LCBC); Mozambique (CEM); Namibia (NCBC); Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland (SACBC); and Zimbabwe (ZCBC).
In 2012 on the occasion of the elections that were held in Zimbabwe, IMBISA decided to form a group of Bishops, one for each member Country, as an election observer.
Over the years, the IMBISA team was able to meet several southern African leaders, such as President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, and that of Mozambique, Armando Guebuza, and has visited several Countries to learn from the experience of other election observers.
The group sent to Lesotho consists of the Bishops of Angola, Mozambique and Swaziland and two lay people from Mozambique and Zimbabwe, as well as Fr. Dos Reis who coordinates the IMBISA office for Justice and Peace.
Early elections in Lesotho are very important because they take place six months after a failed coup (see Fides 08/09/2014). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 26/02/2015)