Popular opposition politician and former Citizens Coalition for Change founding leader Nelson Chamisa has called for political tolerance in the country.

 

He says following the discredited, illegal and disputed 2023 General Elections, Zimbabweans have not known normalcy or peace.

 

He adds that as of now, 78 families and a one-year old child are without their loved ones only because the 78 political prisoners hold different political views and dared to express themselves and exercise their freedom of association.

 

He writes:

 

ZIMBABWE MUST HAVE PROPER ELECTIONS AND FIX BROKEN POLITICS

 

Following the discredited, illegal and disputed 2023 General Elections, Zimbabweans have not known normalcy or peace.

 

As of now, 78 families and a one-year old child are without their loved ones. This is because the 78 political prisoners hold different political views and dared to express themselves and exercise their freedom of association.

 

On the 16th of June 2024, these political prisoners were celebrating Africa Youth Day before being forcibly taken to prison where they remain 45 days later.

 

In addition, the families of Namatai Kwekeza (a human rights defender), Samuel Gwenzi (Civil society), Robson Chere (trade unionist), Promise Munkuli and Vusimuzi Moyo are without their loved ones for no reason other than their association with wanting a better Zimbabwe, advocating for women, young people, workers and speaking out against injustices.

 

Robson Chere’s family and friends are faced with the additional burden of fearing for his health given the injuries sustained during his arrest. Robson only wants better for the workers who sustain Zimbabwe.

 

The family of Bruce Moyo, a young Councillor from Bulawayo is without him because of exercising his political freedom of association as a young citizen and council representative.

 

Many other people (young and old) are spending nights in the prison cells after being taken abruptly and brazenly for no crime but being targets for simply exercising their constitutional freedom of association.

 

In Zimbabwe, being an active conscious citizen and being young has become a crime. The citizens, especially the young people, are persecuted for their beliefs and for wanting better lives.

 

In Zimbabwe, it has been turned criminal to be young.

 

This assault and onslaught on the citizens is a clarion call for unity across political divide to condemn and rebuke these violations, violence and injustice.

 

Fellow citizens of SADC and all African countries, this can’t be civilized politics. This is bizarre, abnormal and must be condemned by all progressives across the world.

 

Zimbabwe must be free and democratic. We the citizens and Our God is in it.