Mnangagwa took over as SADC deputy chairperson during its 43rd summit held in Angola last month and is set to become chairperson when Zimbabwe hosts SADC’s 44th ordinary summit in August next year.
The Zimbabwe Independent reported that CCC’s petition to be lodged this Friday is seeking to have Mnangagwa step down from the deputy chairperson’s position until the matter of the disputed 23 August presidential election is resolved.
Mnangagwa was declared the winner of the election with 52.6% of the vote against CCC leader Nelson Chamisa’s 44%. Chamisa, however, rejected the outcome, calling it “a gigantic fraud”.
A CCC team led by Gladys Hlatshwayo and Jameson Timba this week visited several regional leaders to convince them to call for fresh elections.
CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi told The Zimbabwe Independent that CCC’s leadership was happy with what has so far been achieved. He said:
We note the completion of the SADC final report whose import is to effectively render the ZANU PF government illegitimate until it formally challenges its condemnation with the SADC secretariat in Botswana.
Accordingly, we are petitioning SADC because Zimbabwe cannot assume the Sadc chairmanship and continue with the deputy chair position until the Zimbabwean issue is resolved as this would be an irreconcilable conflict of interest. Mr Mnangagwa would have to gracefully recuse himself.
We commend SADC for this principled stand and encourage them to maintain their stance until the crisis in Zimbabwe is resolved.
Having exhausted all domestic remedies available to us, the principled stand taken by Sadc provides Zimbabwe with an opportunity to explore dispute resolution mechanisms available at the SADC, African Union and the international community.
The Zimbabwe Independent reported that diplomatic sources as saying the petition by CCC will further divide a region that has already been split since Zimbabwe’s election results were announced late last month.
SADC is reportedly divided over the Zimbabwean issue, with some member states backing CCC while former liberation movements are reportedly supporting ZANU PF. Said a CCC source:
It is clear that Zimbabwe’s election, which was discredited by the SADC observer mission and the African Union, has sharply divided Sadc with former liberation movements leaning on the side of ZANU PF.
They feel that if ZANU PF is deposed from power, the wind of change blowing in the region may also sweep away African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa, Chama Cha Mapinduzi in Tanzania, and FRELIMO of Mozambique.
Former revolutionary movements are saying ZANU PF must stand as a bulwark against this change, which is thought to be Western-sponsored.
Meanwhile, Mnangagwa on Friday reappointed Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi as his deputies, with the Cabinet expected to be announced soon.