The opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) says Zimbabwe is yet to meet the conditions to be readmitted to the Commonwealth because of continuing human rights violations.
CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere lamented what she called violations of the constitution, property rights, and the escalation of politically motivated violence by ZANU PF against innocent people. Said Mahere:
For Zimbabwe to rejoin the community of nations, it is very important for us to stop abusing citizens.
You know that there are political prisoners who have been in pretrial detention for more than 140 days.
Violations of the constitution, violations of property rights, corruption, the escalation of violence by ZANU-PF against citizens, journalists and members of political opposition and civic society, the shrinking democratic space and the continued promulgation of repressive unconstitutional legislation — that does not bode well for Zimbabwe to be received back into the community of nations.
Zengeza West MP, Job Sikhala, who is CCC deputy chairperson, Chitungwiza North MP Godfrey Sithole, and 14 party members have been in prison since June on allegations of political violence.
Sithole was released on Friday night but others are still languishing in pre-trial detention.
A Commonwealth delegation led by assistant secretary-general Prof Luis Franceschi is currently in Zimbabwe to assess whether the country has met the conditions to be readmitted to the group. | NewZimbabwe.com