Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has hit back at claims that the party is weak, saying the opposition is ready for the elections set for August 23.
“We have our friend from Tsholotsho, Jonathan (Moyo), saying CCC is weak. He is speaking while he is in Kenya but the struggle is real and local. We are here locally,” CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Siziba told a party gathering in Tshabalala, Bulawayo on Friday last week.
Zimbabwe is gearing for a pulsating campaign, with the nomination courts sitting on Wednesday this week.
“There was a survey carried out by research institutions and they predicted a Chamisa victory. Police, CIO, military survey, citizens, teachers it was all Chamisa” he said.
The opposition party was commemorating the June 16, 1976 Soweto Uprising, which is celebrated as National Youth Day in the neighbouring country. Young people and students revolted against the apartheid regime on the day.
“They want us to become violent so they provoke us and then they will arrest our leader. We will not do that because we will fight them on the ballot paper.
“In South Africa there was a revolution led by the young people. In the context of Zimbabwe today the question is, what is the revolution? It’s the national democratic revolution,” he said.
Siziba said jobless and hungry young Zimbabweans were looking up to Chamisa.
“We are missionaries, we implement the revolution and the method is the ballot. Yesterday, it was through the bullet led by our fathers Nikita Mangena, Joshua Nkomo, (Dumiso) Dabengwa and (Josiah) Tongogara,” Siziba said.
He said voters would judge harshly leaders who abandoned them after the 2018 elections.
“During COVID-19 lockdown, some of the people we voted for were no longer greeting people. They would wave one hand while inside their D4Ds and GD6s and people would be told to greet the MP with a stick.
“Some became councillors, for example, you are councillor for ward 16 in the high density area then we hear that you now have four residential stands in the Famona or you now live there and you have left the people.
“Let me tell you comrades, this movement won’t be contaminated by thieves.”
Siziba said CCC would address concerns raised by its supporters in some areas such as Cowdray Park where residents complained of candidate imposition and tribalism.
“One of the things that is important to us is the identity of our people, their culture and their views. We are not going to field anyone who is not from the people. It’s okay for someone to want to be an MP but we will go with the one that the people want,” he said.
-Newsday