Zimbabwe opposition parties call on masses to take to the streets tomorrow to push for electoral reform

Zimbabwe’s opposition parties under the umbrella organisation called The National Electoral Reform Agenda have called on the people to come out in their numbers tomorrow to press for comprehensive electoral reforms ahead of the 2018 general elections.

In a statement signed by Didymus Mutasa, once the fifth most powerful person in the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front but now a member of Joice Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First, the parties said during the march they will hand over a petition to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission calling on it to announce a clear road-map to the next elections.

“As political parties, we have realized that at the centre of the current national crisis is the crisis of legitimacy. We are not only demanding the implementation of electoral reforms, but also the announcement of a clear road-map to the next election by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission—-a road-map complete with processes and time-frames,” the statement said.

“We are calling on Zimbabweans to come out in their numbers tomorrow in support of this legitimate cause of demanding a truly free and fair election. We are also calling on SADC, specifically the current chair of SADC, to remain seized with the issue of Zimbabwe and to ensure that the electoral field in this country is leveled ahead of the next election.”

Opposition parties and civic activists have been calling on 92-year-old President Robert Mugabe over the past two months to step down to pave way for a new administration to turn around the country’s fortunes.

Mugabe’s lieutenants have said he will stay put as he has a mandate to rule until the end of his term in 2018 and will stand for the ruling party in those elections.

Full statement:

Thursday, 25 August 2016

Statement by leaders of the political parties under the banner of the National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA)

Leaders of political parties here present

Invited Guests and members of the press

Good afternoon everyone.

As leaders of various political parties under the banner of the National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) we welcome you to this press conference.

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