SELF-EXILED former Ntabazinduna chief Felix Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni has launched an online petition titled “Allow Bulawayo Citizens Freedom of Choice” after the High Court disqualified Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC)’s 12 aspiring legislators from contesting in the August 23 poll.
Ndiweni initiated the petition on Monday.
The CCC candidates have since lodged an appeal at the Supreme Court arguing that Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Bongani Ndlovu erred in disqualifying them for allegedly filing their nomination papers late.
In his petition, Ndiweni said the disqualification violated voters’ right to elect legislators of their choice.
“In turn, the people of Bulawayo were denied their human right as enshrined at the United Nations and also the African Union to be able to elect representatives of their choice, to represent them in Parliament. This is a basic human right,” the petition read.
“This affects the whole of Bulawayo, the second city of Zimbabwe. It affects the southern region of Zimbabwe and also the whole country.
“This is a frontal assault upon democracy itself, aside from any politics that may be there. To make matters worse, Bulawayo and the southern part of Zimbabwe have been marginalised by the Zanu PF government for 43 years with respect to development and service delivery.”
Ndiweni called on the Southern African Development Community to exert pressure on the Zanu PF government so that it holds free and fair elections on August 23.
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“We are asking the international arena to encourage the countries around Zimbabwe, Southern African Development Community, to be firm with Zanu PF, with respect to these elections, the rule of law and the principles of democracy.
“We are asking for your participation in this petition so as to show that the world is watching and also to encourage other governments to take a stronger position against the government,” he added.
