"Zimbabwe Is Not Ready For Free, Fair And Credible Elections" - Human Rights Watchdog
Local human rights watchdog, Crisis Coalition in Zimbabwe (CiCZ) says Zimbabwe is not ready to hold free, fair and credible elections given the escalating incidents of politically-motivated violence, among other factors.
Cicz national director Blessing Vava said current events do not point to a country ready for fair elections.
He told a South Africa-based radio station recently:
If you look at the prevailing conditions, they do not point out a country ready for free, fair and credible elections. The violence we have witnessed during the by-elections in areas such as Insiza and the continuous arrest of opposition activists such as Job Sikhala currently languishing in remand prison without trial casts doubt on the credibility of the upcoming elections.
What we are seeing now is a playing field tilted towards the ruling party with the opposition party not being allowed to organise rallies.
Vava also indicated that the current controversy around the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) delimitation report was another pointer to the nation’s unpreparedness.
Political violence has been escalating since late 2021 amid concerns that this year’s elections might be bloody as the ruling ZANU PF is “willing to do whatever it takes to retain power.”
