Supporters of Zimbabwe‘s main opposition party gathered in Chegutu to attend a rally organised by the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) ahead of the country’s general election on August 23.
During the rally, Nelson Chamisa, the 45-year-old main opposition leader, issued a stern warning against directing violence towards members of the opposition. He emphasised the need for a better Zimbabwe with a strong economy that generates sufficient jobs.
“Zanu-PF believes politics should revolve around violence. However, elections are not meant to be violent affairs,” Chamisa asserted.
He further stated, “Our vote is for the economy, industry, and jobs on the 23rd.”
Chamisa also urged for transparency in the upcoming elections, calling on the United Nations and other observation bodies to be granted access to oversee the election process in the southern African country.
“We must avoid contested elections like what occurred in 2018. Currently, we have concerns about the voter’s roll, and we proposed that everything should be transparent, including allowing the United Nations to monitor the elections,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chamisa’s party suffered a significant setback when a court disqualified all its candidates contesting for seats in the nation’s second-largest city.
This southwestern city is regarded as a stronghold of the opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) party, which had submitted 12 candidates but ended up with none after the disqualification.