Zimbabwe’s opposition is gearing up to challenge the outcome of what they deem a “sham” series of weekend by-elections, potentially paving the way for the ruling party to secure a constitutional majority.
The southern African nation was slated to conduct nine by-elections on Saturday, but a tumultuous lead-up saw most opposition candidates removed from electoral lists by court decisions.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF party is only 10 seats away from achieving a two-thirds majority in parliament, a threshold granting them the power to alter the constitution.
The main opposition group, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), expressed their dissatisfaction in a statement, denouncing the by-elections as “a judicial coup” and “an undeniable affront against the constitution of Zimbabwe.”
In response to the contested elections, the CCC announced its intention to file a formal complaint with the judicial service commission.
The party declared the by-elections as ill-fated and highlighted the need to address what they perceive as an orchestrated effort to undermine the democratic process.
The backdrop to this controversy lies in a nationwide election held in August, where President Mnangagwa secured a new term, and ZANU-PF claimed 177 of the 280 national assembly seats.
However, subsequent events led to the expulsion of 14 CCC lawmakers from parliament, prompting nine by-elections.
Sengezo Tshabangu, a relatively unknown political figure, declared himself the CCC’s “interim secretary general” and asserted that the expelled members were no longer part of the party.
CCC leader Nelson Chamisa contested this move, arguing that Tshabangu was not a legitimate party member and that no expulsions had been officially agreed upon.
Despite these protests, the parliament speaker from ZANU-PF ordered new elections, a decision upheld by courts, including the Harare High Court on Saturday, preventing opposition candidates from recontesting their old seats.
The CCC has accused ZANU-PF of orchestrating a “nefarious” campaign through Tshabangu to eliminate opposition candidates from the ballot, a claim the ruling party vehemently denies.
As the nation awaits the announcement of the by-election results in the coming days, observers speculate that ZANU-PF aims to eliminate presidential term limits, potentially extending Mnangagwa’s rule beyond the current two-term restriction.
Mnangagwa rose to power in 2017 through a coup that ousted longtime ruler Robert Mugabe.
The unfolding events underscore the ongoing political tensions and concerns surrounding the democratic process in Zimbabwe.
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