CCC's Mkwananzi Calls For Release Of Timba, Pins Hope On SADC Summit

Statement by Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi on the arrest of party activists, corruption, and legitimacy:

Zimbabwe faces a deepening political crisis characterized by narrowing democratic space, arrests, political persecution and weaponization of the law.

At the center of the crisis is; tragic leadership failure, political and institutional illegitimacy, corruption and moral decadence.

In the advent of the SADC visit, it is our fervent hope that SADC will live up to its SEOM report and help Zimbabwe resolve its electoral dispute in order to forestall the legitimacy challenges that continue to hinder political progress and economic transformation in the country, with adverse effects in the region.

Politicized detention of Senator Jameson Timba and Avondale 78

As we mark 40 days since Senator Timba and 78 others have been detained without bail, it is imperative to restate the unjustified circumstances of their arrest and brutalization.

Hon Timba and others were arrested on the 16th of June 2024, a day recognized worldwide as the day of the African child and which our movement has historically and traditionally commemorated.

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Furthermore, they were conducting a private commemoration at a private space, at Hon. Timba’s residence to be specific.

They were not in breach of any law nor a threat to peace and public order. Yet, the police, without provocation, brutally pounced on them, assaulting them with button sticks and teargas before arresting and denying them bail.

The excessive use of force in this case highlights the regime’s unnecessary fears, insecurity and paranoia and is unacceptable in what is meant to be an independent and democratic Zimbabwe.

Since their inhuman and degrading treatment, Senator Timba and others were arrested and remain in political detention, denied their right to bail and living in squalid conditions.

Several members of the detained sustained varied degrees of injuries, emanating from police beatings and brutality.

For example, Tambudzai Makokoro sustained a fractured leg which has gone septical and continues to pour out puss with a possibility of amputation if no urgent medical intervention is given.

Three others were beaten and their ear drums burst and no medical care has been afforded serve for administration of basic pain killers, a far cry from the specialized medical treatment they urgently require.
Maureen Dinha is detained with her one and a half years old baby, exposed to unhygienic prison conditions.

As if that is not enough, Maureen lost her other child and was denied the right to go and bury him, ironically reminiscent of the Ian Smith regime that denied Robert Mugabe and many others to go and bury their loved ones.

Nicole Chabata, a Form Four student and O level candidate has continually been denied bail to allow her to prepare for her examinations.

Another inmate, who already had a natural disability was heavily assaulted and dislocated his hand and may end up with a double disability, the latter being police induced.

In response, the party has continued to organise and coordinate support and solidarity to the affected through court solidarity, daily upkeep of the detained, medical and legal support, counselling, prison visits and sustaining political pressure for their release and their case to remain on the local and international agenda.

Citizens have also done commendable work by speaking out against the unjustified arrests and organizing support and solidarity to the victim’s families, most of whom are left with no breadwinner and have to fend for and sustain themselves.

Citizens, advocates of justice, members of the diplomatic corps and members of the public at large are reminded that their trial commences on Monday the 29th of July 2024.

You are all implored and called upon to turn out in your numbers to offer your support and solidarity and to send a message to the government that weaponisation of the law to punish and silence legitimate opposition leaders and human rights activists should and will not be a part of our political culture.

In short, this is a call for local, regional and international solidarity to voice out our disagreement against the use of the law and justice system to prosecute political opponents.

Significantly, it is worth noting that the arrest of Senator Timba and others is not the only case of political arrest and persecution since the August 2023 disputed harmonized elections.

A few days ago, more than 60 activists of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) were brutally and violently arrested including their National President Emmanuel Sitima.

The statics below highlight the escalating and disturbing trend of political persecution, including 3 rape victims in Muzarabani, and displacements including evictions by Chiefs of villagers in Muzarabani for supporting the alternative.

Presently, the top leadership of the alternative is under siege, either in detention, in hiding or one form of threat or the other.

Many bear under threat of arrest and abduction for merely being members of the alternative. Several leaders report receiving anonymous calls threatening them.

Church leaders who organized and submitted a petition in Zambia have been threatened and forced to flee their homes.

Rampant Corruption, Rent-Seeking, Plunder and Pilferage

The government of Zimbabwe has been the chief perpetrator of corruption, rent-seeking and plunder of state resources, awarding lucrative contracts to themselves, their kith and kin and their cronies and proxies.

This is the root cause of the continued failure and regression of the national economy, pushing millions of Citizens into abject poverty and starvation.

The partisan distribution of national resources extends to food distribution which has been highly politicized and weaponized against those perceived to hold opposition views.

A prominent example is the late Mboneni Ncube’s family who have been repeatedly been denied food.
Mboneni was brutally murdered by suspected ZANU PF activists at an opposition campaign rally in Kwekwe.

Several high-profile corruption cases have been reported and exposed but no arrests have been made.

Mr. Wicknell Chivhayo who has been named in several high-profile scandals remains not only scot-free but boastful that nothing will happen to him.

We continue to vehemently denounce corruption and call on members of the public to report, expose and denounce corruption whenever and wherever it raises its ugly head.

Political and Institutional Illegitimacy

It is common cause that the August 2023 harmonized elections where fraudulently flawed and did not produce a legitimate and outright winner. This is acknowledged by all election observer missions, including SADC.

This means that the government currently in place in Zimbabwe is illegitimate and not properly constituted in terms of the laws of the country, it is a defacto government.

This is further exacerbated by the unlawful recall of our parliamentary and local government representatives elected on the same disputed elections. This has delegitimized the current parliament.

We insist on the reinstatement of our lawfully elected officials and the removal of the imposters imposed by Mr. Tshabangu and others in connivance with ZANU PF.

The weaponization and capture of the judiciary and the disputed Presidency of Mr. Mnangagwa means that Zimbabwe now suffers political and institutional illegitimacy.

The three key institutions of the state, namely the executive, the judiciary and the legislature have been bastardized and delegitimized.

It is our considered view that the coming of SADC into Zimbabwe is a welcome and rare opportunity to help foster a political solution to the Zimbabwe’s challenges, restore legitimacy and avert the deteriorating political situation.

The issue of the disputed elections ought to be foremost on the SADC agenda with a view to facilitate dialogue and ultimately a political settlement between the two contending Presidential candidates namely Advocate Nelson Chamisa and Emmerson Mnangagwa. There is no other alternative to this dialogue.

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