Staff ReporterAs Zimbabwe approaches its 2023 elections, a group of Zimbabweans living abroad are organizing a campaign to raise funds for the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), an opposition party.
The initiative, led by spokesperson Henry Jaji, aims to assist the CCC in deploying election agents at every polling station throughout the country, addressing a longstanding issue for the opposition in past elections.
The fundraising campaign has so far raised over $280,000, with a portion of the funds also used to purchase a bullet-proof vehicle for CCC leader Nelson Chamisa after his convoy was attacked.
The CCC, led by Chamisa, has previously struggled to deploy polling agents at certain centers due to a lack of funds, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
The current initiative aims to ensure the deployment of agents at every polling station, minimizing the risk of electoral fraud. The campaign has received support from Zimbabweans living abroad and has been welcomed by political analysts as a sign of willingness to fund the struggle for change.
The purchase of the vehicle for Chamisa has, however, raised concerns about foreign funding and potential violations of the Political Parties Finances Act, which prohibits political parties from accepting foreign donations.
Despite these challenges, the initiative has received support from political analysts, who have called for the campaign to be sustained and for clear mechanisms of accountability and transparency to be put in place. Chamisa is expected to run against President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the 2023 elections.
