Zimbabwe - A group of prominent Zimbabweans calling themselves “concerned citizens” say they hope to launch an apolitical “National Transitional Authority” to run the country until “fair” elections can be held.
Zimbabwe is so desperately short of cash - it uses US dollars - it has had to limit imports and pay civil servants late. The cash shortage recently sparked several episodes of social unrest and a national strike on July6. Zimbabwe cannot pay its debts nor raise foreign loans.
The group of “concerned citizens” says it is so concerned about “serious social unrest” and possible “collapse of the state” that it proposes that no more than 18people should be appointed to form a “Transitional Authority” which would create some “optimism”, and an “acceptable political and socio-economic environment”, as well as reforms ahead of fresh elections.
The group says a “government of national unity” which ran Zimbabwe from 2009 to 2013, would not solve the crisis.
“We are of the opinion that no election in the current political climate, whether called early or in 2018, can resolve the deep structural deficits in the state, and, in any event, no election without considerable reform of the state and the creation of a level playing field can possibly lead to a legitimate outcome.
“The Platform of Concerned Citizens (PCC) is a group of like-minded Zimbabweans who have been meeting since October 2015 to discuss the crisis in our country and explore possible solutions.”
The statement from the concerned citizens came 24hours after the ruling Zanu PF party reacted with fury against a group of “traitorous” veterans of the war for independence who last week heavily criticised President Robert Mugabe’s 36-year rule, accusing him of “bankrupt leadership and corruption”, and described him as the “rot” which “needs to be uprooted, and right now”. The group of veterans said they would no longer campaign for him.
Zanu PF won a massive, if disputed, victory at the last elections in 2013, and many commentators say the party is now consumed by faction fights over who will succeed Mugabe, 92, who says he will fight the next elections in 2018, and intends to stay in office until he dies.
In a statement released to the press on Saturday, the group of “concerned citizens” says the present parliament and senate would continue, but it makes no mention of Mugabe’s executive presidency.
Among the 25 who signed the statement are several prominent analysts, human rights activists, academics, business people, as well as some who were part of the liberation organisations prior to independence.
Many of them were or are employed or supported by non-governmental organisations.
Elinor Sisulu, a Zimbabwean activist who married into South Africa’s legendary Sisulu family signed the statement, as did Trevor Ncube, prominent Zimbabwean journalist and publisher of the Mail & Guardian in South Africa, as well as renowned activist and writer Judith Todd, who was cruelly treated prior to independence by the Rhodesians and stripped of her citizenship by Mugabe.
The signatories said they hoped their proposal for a new way to deal with the Zimbabwe crisis would be supported by the African Union, as well as the Southern African Development Community.
They also said Zimbabwe would need economic support during any transitional period leading to fresh elections.
So far, neither Zanu PF nor the opposition Movement for Democratic Change have reacted. The MDC and its leader Morgan Tsvangirai won elections in 2008, but Zanu PF was rescued by former president Thabo Mbeki, who facilitated the government of national unity which negotiated a new constitution.
Reuters