Zimbabwe Opposition to Boycott 'criminal' By-Elections

Zimbabwe's main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party leader Nelson Chamisa gestures as he addresses the media in Harare, Zimbabwe, 11 October 2023. Zimbabwe's main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa says his party will not participate in what he described as "criminal" by-elections to fill 15 seats for members who were controversially recalled from parliament. The seats were left vacant after a man, who declared himself as the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party’s interim secretary-general, said the MPs were no longer members. Consequently, by-elections have been scheduled for 9 December after the parliamentary speaker declared the seats vacant earlier this month. Mr Chamisa dismissed the recalling of the lawmakers, saying Sengezo Tshabangu, the self-declared secretary-general of the party, was an "impostor". In an interview on Wednesday, Mr Chamisa said his party will not "waste time" participating in the "unconstitutional" by-elections. "We don’t participate in crime," he added. A case challenging the recall of the MPs will be heard on 2 November. Source: BBC News