By Paul Nyathi |Struggling Zimbabwean human rights watchdog grouping Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition has elected a new leadership tasked with the difficult duty to rejuvenate the once powerful non governmental organisation.

Heal Zimbabwe Trust Director Rashid Mahiya was elected unopposed to take over the running of the coalition at a highly emotional Annual General Meeting held in Bulawayo on Thursday.

Mahiya takes over the reigns from Sally Dura of the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe who has been at the helm of the organisation for the last two years.

Sakhile Sifelani-Ngoma, the executive director of Women in Politics Support Unit was also elected unopposed to be Mahiya’s deputy.

In an election which ZimEye.com sources at the meeting described as “a sham of an event,” Evernice Munando of Female Students Network was also elected unopposed as Treasurer of the Coalition in absentia.

In the only position which was decided by a ballot, Tabani Moyo from the Media Institute of Southern Africa won against Apostle Anglistone Sibanda of Shalom Trust by 36 votes to 8 to land the coalition spokesperson position.

Coalition members who spoke to ZimEye.com on condition of anonymity said that the election which was meant to give the much needed revival of the coalition failed to meet its expectations as the coalition secretariate disqualified some organisations that have been with the coalition for the last four years there by ruling out their members from voting and being voted into the eleven member board.

According to the members, the coalition failed to promote regional balance as no organisation from the Western Region were included in the board.

Matabeleland region organisations had the largest number of organisations who were disqualified from the electoral process.

“The election was a very sad event,” said a member who attended the general meeting.

“Two members from Matabeleland with a high potential to lead the coalition were unconvincingly disqualified at the minute from the election which totally ruled out Matabeleland from being represented,” said the member.

“The way Matabeleland organisations were treated at the AGM may just see those organisations pull out of the coalition with no surprise” said the member.

Mahiya could not immediately be reached for a comment on the matter.