Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday promised to hold free and fair general elections in the country later this year but issued a warning to “rogue” civic society organizations during his Independence Day speech, reported The Africa News.
The presidential and legislative elections in Zimbabwe are expected to be held in August this year, but no date has been announced yet.
In a speech delivered at an event to mark 43 years of independence from Britain, the 80-year-old Mnangagwa, who is seeking re-election, urged the people of Zimbabwe to say no to violence, before, during, and after the upcoming election.
“My government has put measures in place to ensure free, fair, and credible elections”, the Zimbabwean president said.
Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF ruling party has been previously accused of using violence and intimidation to threaten opponents during elections.
Soon after the 2018 polls, five people were killed by the soldiers when opposition protestors alleging fraud came out on the streets of Harare, burning tires and pulling down street signs.
Mnangagwa also warned of “voices, foreign or local, inclusive of rogue NGOs” sowing seeds of division and disharmony among the Zimbabweans.
In February this year, Zimbabwe’s parliament approved a bill banning civil society organizations from engaging in politics.
According to the new bill, the government has the authority to intervene in the governance and activities of charities and civic groups, including making changes to their internal management and funding.
Notably, President Mnangagwa, who replaced strongman Zimbabwean ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017 after a military-led coup, has also been accused of cracking down on political opponents. In the 2018 elections, he won disputed elections that his main rival Nelson Chamisa insists were rigged. The two leaders will face off for a second time in the upcoming election.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Human Rights group, Amnesty International, described the situation as a rapidly shrinking civic space.
Amnesty’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, Flavia Mwangovya, said freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly have come under increasing attack in the country.
