By Darlington Gatsi
FORMER opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, Nelson Chamisa says it is futile for Zimbabweans in South Africa to return home and participate in the country’s flawed elections, claiming the results are pre-meditated through rigging.
This follows comments by South African opposition activist Julius Malema, who earlier this week said Zimbabweans living in South Africa should rise and influence politics back home rather than be passive spectators.
In an interview with South African broadcaster NewzroomAfrika, Chamisa said it is unrealistic for Zimbabweans who escaped economic rot to return for elections.
“Just the past year we have had a number of Zimbabweans leaving the country seeking better and greener pastures, better opportunities.
“To invite people back into hell or to invite back into this very difficult situation, I think it is disingenuous. We have to correct the settings. Zimbabweans have a role to play in elections, but the elections are actually not proper elections,” said Chamisa.
“So even if Zimbabweans were to come, look at what happened in the past elections, people were in the queues, the ballot papers were not there.
“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission could not produce ballot papers, and it turned out that Mr Mnangagwa’s friend Wicknell Chivayo was actually printing the ballot papers and playing the sabotage.
“The election was just a sham. So, to talk of elections and Zimbabweans coming to those elections and participating is a bit of a challenge.”
Despite a significant number of Zimbabweans living in South Africa, the Zanu PF government has been reluctant to amend the electoral laws to allow Zimbabweans in foreign countries to cast their votes.
The opposition says this has disenfranchised many diasporans to exercise their rights to vote.
The 46-year-old opposition politician added that South Africa should play a key role in addressing the political crisis bedevelling Zimbabwe.
“The key thing is for the South African government to help Zimbabweans help themselves. They do so by not expressing solidarity with dictatorship. They do so by helping Zimbabweans have proper processes, proper elections and resolve their politics.
“Right now, we have over 100 political activists who are incarcerated. There is no solidarity from the countries that are supposed to help us,” said the influential politician-cum-lawyer.