In a recent address to African Union ambassadors, Zimbabwe’s Acting Foreign Affairs Minister, Amon Murwira, issued a stern warning to the opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, and his Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party. Murwira expressed concerns about actions that might incite unrest under the guise of democracy.
The government’s message, while denying any involvement in the CCC’s recalls, subtly accused Chamisa of undemocratic behavior, citing his refusal to accept the results of the August 23 harmonized elections. Murwira pointed out that Chamisa had publicly declared he would only accept a victory for himself, an attitude that previously led to violence in 2018, which is viewed as an attack on Zimbabwe’s democratic principles and rule of law.
Murwira also emphasized that some countries have supported Chamisa’s actions, a stance that the government finds troubling. He made it clear that any actions aimed at disturbing the peace in the name of “democratic political processes” would not be tolerated.
The acting minister highlighted that Zimbabwean law mandates the Speaker of the National Assembly and the President of the Senate to act promptly on communications from political groups concerning recalls. He clarified that neither official can alter or block such communications once they are presented. The power to reverse such actions lies solely with the authors of these communications.
Addressing concerns about political prisoners, Murwira dismissed claims that there are any in the country. This comes in response to the opposition’s allegations regarding the detention of former Zengeza West legislator Job Sikhala, who has been in custody for over 400 days.
In response to Murwira’s remarks, political analyst Rejoice Ngwenya criticized the government’s stance, emphasizing that the constitution calls for free and fair elections. He argued that election observers had reported that the recent elections did not meet these standards.
Ngwenya also pointed out that the constitution allows for peaceful demonstrations, and he questioned whether this right had been afforded to the citizens. The independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was another concern raised by Ngwenya, as he cited an incident involving an attempt to recall President Emmerson Mnangagwa. CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi was not available for comment on Murwira’s statement at the time of this report.
In a country with a history of political tension and unrest, these warnings from the government against undemocratic actions raise concerns about the future of democracy in Zimbabwe. The international community will be closely monitoring the situation, hoping for a peaceful and democratic resolution to any political disputes.
Source: [Newsday Zimbabwe]
