Diaspora (Commonwealth Union) _ Several civic organizations and political party representatives in the United Kingdom have jointly submitted a petition to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. This petition is centered around allegations of electoral malpractice during Zimbabwe’s elections, which occurred on August 23 and 24. The basis for this petition lies in reports issued by numerous election observer missions, all of which concluded that these elections failed to meet both local and international standards for free and fair democratic elections.
The organizations involved have expressed grave concerns about what they view as an illegitimate government led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. They accuse this government of engaging in corrupt practices, displaying bias throughout the election process, perpetrating violence against opposition members, and committing various other forms of misconduct.
The petitioners have fervently appealed to the UK government, along with other international entities, urging them to sponsor a new election that is administered impartially and characterized by freedom, fairness, and credibility in Zimbabwe. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the election genuinely represents the preferences of the nation’s electorate. They have also highlighted instances of human rights violations and acts of violence directed at opposition activists during the period leading up to the elections.
These developments have emerged in the midst of mounting pressure on President Mnangagwa’s administration, with the primary opposition force, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), advocating for a fresh electoral process. The petition serves as a means to garner international attention towards the situation unfolding in Zimbabwe and to advocate for reforms that would lead to a more democratic electoral landscape within the country.
The petitioners also voiced concerns about what they perceive as a deterioration of governance in Zimbabwe, characterized by the alleged manipulation of electoral boundaries and voter registration, disorganized election processes on August 23 and 24, and tampering with official election records (V11s). Additionally, they raised objections to post-election violence targeting CCC members and the hasty announcement by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission proclaiming Mnangagwa as the presidential winner. They also criticized the military’s apparent ambiguity regarding their allegiance to the President over the Constitution.
Furthermore, the petitioners accused the ruling Zanu PF party of destabilizing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region while allegedly attempting to engineer a coup in Zambia, involving former Zambian President Edgar Lungu. However, these claims have been refuted by Zanu PF.
In conclusion, the organizations behind the petition are united in their pursuit of democracy, constitutionalism, and constitutional adherence. They have called for an extraordinary summit on Zimbabwe, a full member of SADC, and demanded the organization of a fresh, free, fair, and credible election in the country. They aim to draw attention to the situation in Zimbabwe and promote international involvement in ensuring a more democratic electoral process.
