Veteran activists in Zimbabwe’s opposition are urging supporters to throw their weight behind Nelson Chamisa’s new Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party ahead of next year’s elections.
The Veterans Activists’ Association of Zimbabwe (VAAZ), formerly aligned with the MDC Alliance, said members should mobilize behind the CCC as it challenges ZANU-PF for power in the 2023 polls.
VAAZ chair Felix Sibanda called on members to “strategically support all CCC candidates” through grassroots campaigning, defending the vote after elections and donating resources to assist the opposition challenge.
He appealed for vehicles, fuel, labour and campaign materials to back the CCC presidential bid of Nelson Chamisa, who leads the breakaway faction that formed the new party.
The move highlights the renewed surge of opposition support behind Chamisa’s newly formed CCC as it prepares to contest elections dominated by ZANU-PF for decades.
For longtime activists in Zimbabwe’s fragmented opposition, throwing their lot in with Chamisa’s fresh start represents the best hope for finally unseating the ruling party after years of defeat.
But overcoming ZANU-PF’s deep entrenchment will require mobilizing all pro-democracy forces behind the CCC, from veteran organizers to first-time voters.
