President Emmerson Mnangagwa has set August 23, 2023, as the crucial election date that will determine the future of Zimbabwe. The election will not only determine the presidency but also the makeup of the parliament and over 2,000 local councils. However, Zimbabweans are grappling with price hikes on basic goods and services and the government’s inability to stabilize the economy. The country has failed to recover from decades of recession and financial disarray under former President Mugabe’s rule.
The opposition parties have expressed concerns about the ruling Zanu-PF supporters’ violence and intimidation in the run-up to the elections. Human rights organisations have also reported that Mnangagwa is stifling dissent in the country. However, the government and the ruling ZANU-PF party have denied the allegations.
Mnangagwa, who was elected president in 2018 after a military intervention that deposed the late former president Robert Mugabe, is seeking a second term in office. His main rival is lawyer and pastor Nelson Chamisa, who leads the newly formed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
The CCC has promised to restore the rule of law and unlock foreign funding if elected into power. Zimbabwe has been under U.S. sanctions for two decades over human rights abuses, and it has faced severe economic problems that have left citizens struggling to make ends meet.
As the countdown to the election continues, Zimbabweans hope that the country’s future leadership will deliver much-needed change and progress.
