Chamisa allies want SADC summit to revisit Zimbabwe poll dispute

By Nkosana Dlamini

The Jameson Timba led CCC faction has called on SADC leaders to put Zimbabwe’s disputed 2023 election back on their agenda, as they meet in Harare for their summit this coming month.

Zimbabwe hosts the high-profile regional indaba on 17 August with President Emmerson Mnangagwa set to assume the rotational SADC chairmanship for the next 12 months.

In an address on Saturday, Promise Mkwananzi, spokesperson for the CCC faction loyal to former party leader Nelson Chamisa, insisted there was a political crisis in Zimbabwe stemming from disputed elections which saw the re-election of Mnangagwa last August.

He challenged leaders of the 16-country bloc to consider deliberations on how to remedy Zimbabwe’s political situation and a Zanu PF regime that as seen high level corruption and persecution of government critics.

“The issue of the disputed elections ought to be foremost on the SADC agenda with a view to facilitating dialogue and ultimately a political settlement between the two contending presidential candidates namely Advocate Nelson Chamisa and Mr Mnangagwa,” Mkwananzi said.

“In our view, there is no alternative to dialogue, there is no alternative to a political settlement.”

He added, “We demand that SADC puts the question of legitimacy in Zimbabwe top on its agenda as they come to help resolve the Zimbabwean crisis.”

However, it is almost impossible for SADC leaders to open any talk around the Zimbabwean crisis as the Zanu PF led administration has adamantly resisted past attempts to have the country’s political situation discussed in any regional forum.

Even more, the issue cannot be broached on Zimbabwean soil, given that Zimbabwe is hosting the summit. TWITTER: @nkosanad809 , @zimstar_news