The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CZC) says it is important for millions of Zimbabwean exiles living outside the country’s borders, particularly in South Africa, to come home and cast their vote during the elections.
CZC is a coalition of human and civic rights groups, churches, women’s groups, labour and student movements that are campaigning for a peaceful and democratic settlement of Zimbabwe’s eight-year political crisis.
Last October, the pressure group said it was launching a massive voter education campaign in rural areas, the backbone of President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu (PF) party, to raise awareness on issues related to voting and elections.
Crisis in Zimbabwe co-ordinator, Jacob Mafume, said the regional push to encourage exiled Zimbabweans to go home and vote was an extension of the rural voter campaign that began late last year.
“The programme is an extension of the campaign that we have in Zimbabwe. We are getting into the region to encourage the millions of Zimbabweans working there to come and vote in March,” he said.
At least three million Zimbabweans, a quarter of the country’s 12 million population, are said to be living outside the country, the majority of them in South Africa, after fleeing economic hardship and political repression at home.
The majority of them are still eligible to vote in the election that analysts says Mugabe could lose because of an unprecedented economic recession.
Mafume said it would be an injustice to deny the millions of Zimbabweans living in neighbouring countries the chance to vote in the election and decide their fate.
“We will also seek to engage with regional employers so that they can allow their Zimbabwean workers to participate in the election as it is also of importance to the region,” he added.
The pressure group, which has been using musical concerts to connect with rural voters, said it was planning a big concert in Johannesburg at the end of this month to spread the message. – ZimOnline
Post published in: News