Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CZC) says calls by President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF to hold elections this year may jeopardise “all democratic milestones” the country has achieved since formation of the inclusive government in 2009.
The civic grouping said holding an election this year could be detrimental to democracy, political and economic progress.
CZC — in a statement also copied to the Southern African development Community (Sadc) and African Union(AU), guarantors of the increasingly unstable coalition government pitting Zanu PF and two MDC parties — urged Sadc and other regional bodies to closely monitor the political crisis prevailing in the country.
Part of the statement read: “Zimbabwe’s dysfunctional transitional power-sharing government has dismally failed to dismantle the vicious and kleptocratic political system established over the last three decades through political patronage.
“As civil society organisations, we reiterate Zimbabwe has not yet instituted sufficient reforms to guarantee democratic, non-violent, free and fair elections.”
CZC claimed security apparatus accused of fomenting violence, especially in 2008, were “still intact, extremely politicised and blatantly partisan”.
“The AU and Sadc must independently examine and certify the environment is conducive to holding non-violent, free and fair elections.”
