By Takudzwa Changadeya
The main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has announced that it is now gearing up to launch a 30-day campaign to mobilize every aggrieved citizen to join the movement for a fresh election.
The campaign is called #CitizensFreshElection, according to the national spokesperson of the party, Promise Mkwananzi.
This follows after the disgruntled CCC leader Nelson Chamisa rejected Zimbabwe’s August 23 and 24 general election results based on disputed figures, describing the whole election process as null and void.
According to the electoral body, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chamisa lost the election to President-Elect Emmerson Mnangagwa, who garnered 52.6% of the vote, while he got 44%.
Posting on his X handle, formerly Twitter, Mkwananzi wrote:
“Following Citizen Assembly resolution to reject the electoral sham of August 2023, I wish to announce that our communications department will be launching a 30-day #CitizensFreshElection campaign.”
With the launch of the #CitizensFreshElection campaign, Mkwananzi said every aggrieved citizen is urged to participate actively and contribute to the movement for change, demanding a fresh and untainted election process that upholds the values of democracy and fairness.
“Every aggrieved citizen must play a part in this historic journey.”
Addressing journalists recently, CCC’s deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziba demanded a fresh election overseen by SADC and the African Union, arguing that the entire electoral process by ZEC was flawed.
“The Citizens Coalition for Change led by Advocate Nelson Chamisa has assessed the situation and has made the following clear and emphatic demands, that to restore pure democracy and legitimacy in our country, we are not going to settle for less none other than a free, fair, credible and a proper election.
“This election that we are coming from was a flawed process in its entirety for the avoidance of doubt and the solution to put it very clearly is to have a fresh, free, fair and credible election.”
“The solution lies in calling upon our African brothers to facilitate, to mediate, and more importantly to guarantee a process that will lead our return to legitimacy in the shortest period,” he said.
Many citizens, international observer missions, and local civil organisations have reported discrepancies, and instances of voter manipulation, which has led to widespread dissatisfaction and a loss of trust in the electoral body.
