By Staff Reporter
MAIN opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members of parliament Tuesday boycotted President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) and official opening of the first session of the 10th parliament.
The CCC party said this was because it does not recognize Mnangagwa as the President.
The CCC party is still pressing for fresh elections after poll observers reported that the recent election fell short of regional and international standards.
Party spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said the party was sending a clear message that there should be a free and fair election in the country.
“We are boycotting the processes that Mnangagwa wants us to undertake on the basis of the fact that we as CCC do not recognize an election that put him there.
“The election was a sham, it did not go well. It fell abysmally short of the expected standards of a free and fair election in terms of the laws of Zimbabwe as well as in terms of SADC and AU protocols on free and fair elections.
“Accordingly, we are not attending that process. We want to send a clear message that there should be a free election in Zimbabwe under the auspices of SADC. So, that is the message that will be sending out.” said Mkwananzi.
Mnangagwa was declared winner of the elections with 52,6% of the vote while his main challenger leader of the CCC Nelso Chamisa got 44%.
Meanwhile Zanu PF has 176 MPs in the National Assembly, and the CCC 103.
In the Senate, Zanu PF has 33 seats and CCC 27.
