THE Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) says it is optimistic that the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and the African Union (AU) will intervene to resolve the country’s long-running socio-economic crisis.
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, CCC interim
deputy spokesperson Gift Siziba said Sadc and other regional bodies were
warming up to their calls for intervention to compel government to implement
the necessary reforms ahead of the 2023 elections.
“We have already started our engagement with Sadc and the
African Union,” Siziba said.
“We have written to these bodies and are set to have
meetings with them on the deepening crisis and the question of reforms which is
at the centre of Zimbabwe’s viciously disputed election.
“We are aware of the troika summit that is happening and we
have received a favourable response, particularly the acknowledgement of our
letters from these regional bodies which we think is a positive outlook from
the pro-democracy movement.
“And we look forward to having meetings with the Sadc and
AU and all other regional and international players who care, particularly
around the issue of holding free and fair elections which is at the centre of
our engagement.”
Independent election watchdogs recommended a number of
electoral reforms after the 2018 disputed elections.
The European Union observer mission made 23 recommendations
after the 2018 elections, including the alignment of the Electoral Act to the
Constitution and ensuring the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission.
But there has been little movement towards implementation,
with critics alleging lack of political will on the part of government.
The opposition says Zimbabwe faces another disputed
election if there are no tangible electoral reforms.
Siziba said the CCC
would not boycott the polls.
“Our parliamentarians are going to be very critical about
this in pushing this particular issue to advance the principles and values and
issues that are raised by ordinary people,” he said.
“Parliament is going to be an important area of our
citizens’ struggle to try to resolve part of the crisis involving executive
tyranny which is the contrary to the provisions of the Constitution.” Newsday
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