“Voting is our civic duty”, CCC Namibia embraces 1+5 voter mobilization strategy.

18 March 2023

The arbitrary arrests, torture, gross abuse of human rights, intimidation, long pre-trial detentions, illegal convictions and all forms of injustices are an attempt to suppress the vote and bring cynicism and disillusionment in the voters ahead of the July\August 2023 harmonized elections. The arrest of our pragmatic’ Vice-Chair, Job Saro Wiwa Sikhala in June last year is a clear sign of ZANU-PF panic ahead of the impending elections. CCC Namibia is quite aware that the incessant illegal torture and imprisonment of Wiwa and other leaders is a futile trial to discourage our people from fighting for comprehensive political and electoral reforms as a fulfilment of our smart minimum electoral demands aimed at creating an even political arena for credible, free, fair and unfettered watershed elections in August.

CCC Namibia is jovial following the recent extension of voter registration blitz by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). This followed a clarion call to extend the registration exercise because of the delays and other pauses in the process by the Citizens Coalition For Change through their press conference. Namibia district is busy implementing the effective 1+5 strategy at home and abroad. Citizens in the diaspora are determined to register big, elect big and protect big since most our people are registered voters. We urge all Zimbabweans to go and register to vote for change in August.

It is clear that the future of this nation is in the hands of constitutional democrats and the youths through their revolutionary mandate to register to vote in huge numbers to avert rigging. We encourage change champions in and outside the country to work extraordinarily hard to recruit more voters who will vote ninefold than in 2018 elections to decimate ZANU PF’s electoral shenanigans, and outcompete their rigging antics by having millions of the novel, enthusiastic voters hence defeating voter fatigue and apathy. We must register first, and then fight for political and electoral reforms. The banning of CCC rallies and meetings by ZANU-PFmorons is a clear testimony that the clueless Harare regime has grown scared of a massive voter registration campaign because it will make rigging a mammoth task for these perpetual electoral fraudsters.

Our appeal to fellow Zimbabweans is for them to ‘please’,Go and Register to vote in order to halt senseless looting and corruption. Despite our diaspora vote being a non-negotiable right! We advise our membership to Go and Register in Zimbabwe whilst we are fighting for the Diaspora Vote. What Zimbabweans should know is that participating in elections is one of the key freedoms obtained from the liberation struggle therefore citizens must participate in the national discourse. Through the recently launched 1+5 strategy, which targets more millions of virgin voters, we shall overcome voter suppression. Voter suppression is a strategy to influence the outcome of an election by discouraging or preventing people from exercising their right to vote through assisting voters, intimidation and torture of innocent citizens.

Moreover, it must be crystal clear to social democrats that elections require considerable involvement by the sensitive and sane population,and it takes some time to develop the cultural habit of voting ,and the associated understanding of and confidence in the electoral process. Issues of class, ethnicity and race should not be allowed to negatively affect our voting patterns. Lets register in our astonishing numbers to win Zimbabwe for complete change. CCC Namibia comprehends that there are cultural factors that affect us as voters such as : lack of trust in the satanic government, the varied degrees of partisanship among the population, interest in politics and one’s belief in the efficacy of voting. We should trust our potential to defend the vote if rigged as usual. Social democrats must be dedicated and committed to democratically defend the will of the people using their bodies.

Furthermore, genuine revolutionaries in Namibia are also cognisant of the reason why the Harare regime has targeted the vibrant interim Vice Chairperson, Job Saro Wiwa Sikhala who is languishing in prison for speaking truth to power. This is because of his extraordinary capacity to recruit, mobilize and radicalize voters which has an effect on the voter turnout. Older people tend to vote more than youths, CCC Namibia encourages the millennial generation to register, elect and protect the voter and the vote. ZANU-PF has already pressed the panic button upon seeing our massive registration campaign which calls for more millions of youths as virgin voters in 2023 since they constitute the bigger chunk of the national population(approximately 50%). It is a public secret that ZANU PF has ever won elections freely,fairly and credibly against a political behemoth. Right now, they are refusing to give the stakeholders the much-needed voters roll, all these are clear pointers to rigging and malpractice.

Moreso, nationally conscious Zimbabweans should know that voting is often inconvenient, time-consuming and may even seem void however, it must be noted that voting is a very fundamental and integral part of any constitutional democracy. Citizens should show their appetite to vote for leaders to represent them, their ideas,and the leaders support the citizens’ social,political, religious and economic interests.

Here are our burning reasons why every Zimbabwean should Register to Vote in 2023:
1)Elections belong to the people- be part of the national discourse
2)Voting is a part of independence
3)Choosing not to vote is not rebellion, it’s surrender
4)If you don’t vote , you lose the right to complain
5)The world is run by those who show up
6)Talk is cheap, and voting is free.

In a nutshell, CCC Namibia urges all Zimbabweans to GO and REGISTER NOW! Before the end of the ongoing voter registration blitz on the 26th of March. Voting is our civic right! Let’s work to avoid voter fatigue which by definition is the apathy that the electorate can experience under certain circumstances, one being that they are required to vote too often without positive results.

CCC Namibia
Rundu Branch Champion
Robson Ruhanya