The draft petition is bring prepared at the ongoing 2013 SADC People's Summit which kick-started today. The summit which is open to any citizen from the SADC region, is a people's platform to share experiences, map out strategies and build solidarity around common challenges in order to find solutions that shape their destiny.
It is held annually under the auspices of the Southern Africa People's Solidarity Network. This year's edition was deliberately scheduled a day before the SADC Heads of State summit in order to give Zimbabweans an opportunity to put forward their concerns on the disputed elections won by President Robert Mugabe and Zanu (PF).
However, unknown Zimbabweans have thronged the venue of the meeting where they are secretly lobbying other citizens not to endorse the petition as the position of the SADC people.
In instances witnessed by this reporter, a Zimbabwean who said came from Mazoe told other participants that Mugabe was blameless and should be credited for championing black empowerment that now sees tobacco auction floors open throughout the year unlike in other countries where they do so from September to December only.
His other colleagues who had been posted into various other sub-committees where the issue of Zimbabwe had been spread so that participants help in coming up with accurate wording of the petition, challenged everyone to come to Zimbabwe and "see how happy and prosperous we are."
However leaders of various Zimbabwean civil societies said the trick by Zanu (PF) showed how the party has become desperate to protect its stolen victory, adding it would not work because the SADC Civil Society Forum which ended yesterday had already passed the resolution to petition the heads of State over the Zimbabwean political crisis tomorrow.
Post published in: News