FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara has applauded Nelson Chamisa and his Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party for standing up against President Emmerson Mnangagwa despite facing several challenges instigated by the Zanu PF leader.
Mutambara also bemoaned the continued suppression of the opposition by the ruling Zanu PF party as political temperatures continue to rise ahead of the August 23 harmonised elections.
Speaking in an interview with Alpha Media Holdings chairman, Trevor Ncube on the platform In Conversation with Trevor, Mutambara noted that Zimbabwe still faced the problem of an uneven playing field in the coming election.
“The major issue that concerns me is the same old story, unfree and unfair elections. The voters roll is not available; the opposition is having a hard time in holding their rallies,” said Mutambara. “Opposition leaders are in prison, (Jacob) Ngarivhume and (Job) Sikhala are locked up, the traditional media are not covering the opposition, so the traditional story of unfree and unfair elections worries me because we are going again into this issue of legitimacy, credibility of our elections and this has been going on since 2000.
“Twenty-three years on we have not found a way in this country to carry out free, fair and credible elections.”
Mutambara applauded CCC for standing firm in the face of a Zanu PF onslaught.
“One way of fixing the system is participation in the processes of democracy. It is important and eventually, something will get it right.
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“The bona fide opposition CCC and Chamisa have done very well given what (President) Mnangagwa and his party (Zanu PF) have thrown in their way. Taking away their party headquarters, Members of Parliament (MPs) and their money.
“Mnangagwa and Zanu PF have tried to destroy the opposition CCC and its leader Chamisa but they survived in spite of the challenges that have been presented to them.
“Yes they make mistakes, they are not perfect but we must give credit where credit is due,” he said.
Last week, 12 CCC aspiring legislators were barred from participating in the upcoming elections after being accused of filing their nomination papers after the deadline.
While addressing a rally at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera on Sunday, Chamisa said his party had 106 of its campaign rallies banned by the police.
