BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA
SOCCER legend Peter Ndlovu’s opposition All Peoples Party (APP) has petitioned Queen Elizabeth II to allow for Zimbabwe’s readmission into the Commonwealth club.
APP acting president Sabastian Mubvumbi yesterday told NewsDay that citizens were losing several socio-economic benefits enjoyed by other former British colonies.
Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth in 2002 over human rights abuses before the late former President Robert Mugabe withdrew the country’s club membership.
“We intended to hand deliver the petition to the Queen (Elizabeth) in Britain, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, we sent it through email yesterday,” Mubvumbi said.
In the petition, APP said it was confident of Queen Elizabeth’s influence as the head of the Commonwealth to ensure Zimbabwe’s readmission.
“I have been mandated to write on behalf of All Peoples Party, a political party which is a new baby in Zimbabwean politics, re-presenting hopes and wishes of millions of Zimbabweans that, Madam, in your capacity as head of the Commonwealth influence the re-admission of Zimbabwe into this noble grouping,” Mubvumbi wrote in his letter to the Queen.
“It was the sole decision of the former Head of State, the late Robert Mugabe to withdraw membership without the input of the people of Zimbabwe and this has had detrimental effects to the general populace.”
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He said amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Zimbabwe was losing out on resources which are being channelled through the Commonwealth to its member states.
“We are missing a lot by not working together to promote prosperity, democracy, peace and above all protection of the environment. We have favoured the secretary-general of the Commonwealth, The RT Honourable Patricia Scotland with a copy of this letter. Your Majesty, we have not been spared by the COVID-19 pandemic, any vaccines channelled to Commonwealth countries, we humbly request to be considered.”
APP was registered with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on October 31, 2019.
Ndlovu was recently nominated leader of the newly-formed party but Mubvumbi said he could not immediately give up his other soccer commitments in South Africa to take the leadership role.
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