JOHANNESBURG – Zimbabwe’s opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has appealed to the international community to ensure that the upcoming elections in Zimbabwe, scheduled for August, are free and fair.
Chamisa, who was in South Africa holding a rally in Johannesburg, emphasized the significance of this year’s elections for Zimbabwe as it grapples with economic challenges. He called on Zimbabweans in the diaspora, particularly those in South Africa, to return home and vote.
Chamisa highlighted the need for support from the international community, the region, and the continent, stating that Zimbabweans are peace-loving people who require assistance. He expressed his desire for Zimbabwe to no longer be a source of concern for the region and the continent but rather a refuge and a safe place for all Africans.
The opposition leader also criticized President Emmerson Mnangagwa, stating that he would defeat him in the forthcoming elections. Chamisa emphasized that the opposition’s victories are not solely reliant on a conducive environment or free and fair elections but on the support of the people of Zimbabwe.
He referred to the 2018 elections and accused Mnangagwa of attempting to subvert the will of the people. Chamisa vowed to prevent a repetition of those actions in the 2023 elections and expressed confidence in securing a significant victory.
Chamisa dismissed former Information Minister Prof. Jonathan Moyo’s assertion that the opposition in Zimbabwe is weak, presenting election results as evidence of their strength.
He declared that the opposition is the next government in Zimbabwe, citing their success in by-elections and council elections as indicators of their growing support. Chamisa viewed ZANU-PF as the opposition and asserted that the CCC would emerge victorious on August 23.
Prof. Jonathan Moyo says Zimbabwe opposition parties are weak:
