Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, Nelson Chamisa, says the State, has banned over 68 of their political rallies in an attempt to limit the party’s impact and support among the public.
Political rallies are huge public gatherings designed to show support for a political party and, in some cases, to influence voting behaviour.
Chamisa said the ban on their political rallies was proof that its opponent Zanu PF, was panicking, which was why it was resorting to such tactics, a situation exacerbated by the opposition party’s refusal to reveal its electoral strategies.
“Of course, they ask where your plan is? Who would go to Russia and Ukraine that are in a war and say, ‘Please Russia give us your plan against Ukraine or go to Ukraine and say give us.’ It’s a war situation and at times at war, you don’t necessarily need to herald or address a press conference what your next strategic move is,” he said addressing a press conference Thursday in Harare.
The CCC leader stated the contesting party has methods to beat its opponents and that they have “successfully reached all corners of our country” over the past year through their community penetration campaign called the Umgwazo Programme of Action.
“We have now located ourselves permanently in footprint in the community, even in every homestead.”
Chamisa said CCC had a new way of doing politics, one that was radical, disruptive and “discomforting” to its opponent.
“They were used to targeting certain individuals (within the opposition space), buy them, then allege splits so we said, ‘fine, you can buy your own people but they know nothing.’ We have a new strategy. Now we are moving in a difficult way, we walk backwards and they don’t know what we are doing,” claimed the party leader.
“In IsiNdebele, we say ‘Thina sihamba nyovane,’ we are so sophisticated, you don’t expect us to do what you expect us to do and that is why our opponents are jittery. They are in their sixties and sevens.”
As a result of CCC’s unspoken strategies, Chamisa claimed the ruling party was panicky and displaying its fragility rather than dominance as many imagined.
“A lot of people think that Zanu PF’s conduct is an act of invisibility and indomitability, no they are showing that they are on the back foot. Zanu PF is panicking. They are doing all sorts of things through their shenanigans, through the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), look at the shenanigans in the communities – banning our rallies. To date, they have banned over 68 of our rallies, why? Because they know that we are the only game in town,” Chamisa claimed.
He added that 2023 was a year for the party to gain power and would not accept a rigged outcome.
“This is a year to celebrate our victory and we will not accept prior to being cheated or deceived and people think it’s normal. It can’t be normal when you cheat people when you are a criminal, when you try to subvert the will of the people,” said the CCC leader.
“Zimbabwe needs new leaders and we are the leaders! We have a new direction, ideas and our vision is very clear, to realise a great Zimbabwe in our lifetime. A new citizen republic, united with one vision, focus and built on a hexagon of nation building with seven key priorities to build a nation. We want to restore freedom, peace, prosperity, unity, love, reconciliation, forgiveness and we are mission on transformation, that’s why we say inguquko, shanduko across the whole country.”
To change the leadership in Zimbabwe, Chamisa said people must be able to register to vote and go cast their votes.
“We believe in electoral politics, that’s why we have not taken up guns to go to neighbouring countries to wage a war against this dictatorship. Our fight is a democratic struggle, is peaceful and loving even against all odds,” he said.
Chamisa emphasised that voting in elections does make a difference and winning big was CCC’s strategy.
“When we have you participating, having a wide margin that cannot be deceived, cheated and tricked, when you vote in large numbers, you are able to dominate and make a difference,” said the CCC leader.
“We need six million votes and a two-thirds majority in Parliament. If we don’t do so well, at least, let’s have a majority in Parliament and be able to choose a speaker of Parliament. In urban councils, we must be able to sweep as we have always done. In Rural District Councils we are aiming for a majority, not to sweep, because we know that it may not be an untenable objective.”
