21 June 2023

Citizens in Namibia have the conviction that vote rigging commenced with the arbitrary arrest and illegal conviction of Hon Job Saro Wiwa Sikhala in June 2022. It is unbelievable that ZANU-PF has successfully exploited the captured judiciary to deny Wiwa his right to represent Zengeza West in the forthcoming harmonized elections scheduled on the 23rd of August 2023. Not only the right to represent was infringed but also the fundamental right to be represented, specifically affecting the innocent residents of Zengeza West.

Social Democrats in Namibia are convinced that vote rigging does not transpire on voting day since it is a long and tedious process. We have seen the weaponization of the law by the clueless regime since 2020 when they deliberately surrendered the People’s Party to their surrogate Douglas Togarasei Mwonzora through the March Corona Supreme Court judgment. The unconstitutional arrest of Job Saro Wiwa Sikhala was a sure way to deny him the right to participate in the impending elections in August.

Job Saro Wiwa Sikhala has endured more than 365 days caged in the hell hole of Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison on concocted charges. The only crime was his valor, mettle, and nerve to confront ZANU-PF following the enforced disappearance and abduction of the late Moreblessing Ali who was gruesomely murdered by Pius Jamba Mukandi in Nyatsime for her politics. Today, Job Saro Wiwa Sikhala is unable to take part in the nomination process because of this long pretrial detention since the 14th of June 2022.

This is a clear indicator that ZANU-PF is not ready to promote free, fair, credible, and unfettered elections in Zimbabwe. Locking the vibrant Sikhala in prison is rigging on its own. The people of Zengeza West were rigged in advance, they were orphaned since last year to date because their leader was instrumental in demanding justice, freedom, and equality. It is quite pathetic that the deceased Moreblessing Ali is not yet buried since May last year. The continued incarceration of Hon Job Saro Wiwa Sikhala is the only reason why Moreblessing Ali is still in the mortuary.

We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Job Saro Wiwa Sikhala. Without Wiwa, there will be no credible elections. Job Sikhala is a political prisoner who is in jail for his vibrancy and organic approach to the national democratic struggle. Zec and ZANU-PF must respect the rule of law and constitutionalism. The closure of the democratic space in the motherland is the epitome of authoritarianism in the Harare regime.

Namibia district has watched with great fury the arbitrary arrests and illegal convictions of nominated CCC candidates across the breadth and lengths of Zimbabwe on trumped-up charges. The unconstitutional arrests and violence unleashed on the change champions depict the unwillingness of ZANU-PF to conduct peaceful elections. We demand the release of the jailed ZINASU six, who are political prisoners. Jacob Ngarivhume is also a prisoner of conscience suffering because he simply tweeted urging citizens to take part in an anti-corruption demonstration scheduled on the 31st of July 2020. The right to protest and petition is enshrined in the Supreme Law of the country!

In a nutshell, CCC Namibia would like to wish all nominated candidates good luck ahead of the 23rd of August 2023. Victory is certain with participatory democracy. Let’s vote big! Win big! And Defend big. We urge unsuccessful candidates to swallow their pride and back those who are going to represent the political behemoth(CCC) on the 23rd of August. There is no need to be greedy! There is no need to opt for the belly politics of self-aggrandizement, ours is a fight for equality, freedom, and justice.

We shall dedicate our sweet victory to Job Saro Wiwa Sikhala, the ZINASU six, and all political prisoners who are languishing in filthy prisons for defending the universal basic human rights in Zimbabwe. After nomination, our task is to focus on the massive recruitment and training of polling agents.

FreeJobSaroWiwaSikhala

FreeTheZINASUSIX

FreeTheNyatsime38

FreeJacobNgarivhume

FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners

Free, Fair, CredibleAndUnfetteredElections

ANewGreatZimbabwe

CCC Namibia Rundu Branch
Interim Spokesperson
Robson Ruhanya