Over 10,000 individuals, many dressed in vibrant yellow attire, assembled on Monday to demonstrate strong backing for Zimbabwean opposition leader Nelson Chamisa in the lead-up to the closely contested general elections.
The nation in southern Africa is poised for its presidential and legislative elections on Wednesday.
In this electoral contest, 45-year-old Chamisa is striving to secure victory over the 80-year-old incumbent leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Happening amidst the backdrop of Zimbabwe’s economic turmoil, the election is being closely monitored as an indicator of ZANU-PF party’s popularity.
The party has been in control since the country’s independence 43 years ago.
Advocates of Chamisa’s Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) congregated on a dry piece of land in central Harare, offering a view of the towering headquarters of ZANU-PF.
“Zimbabwe, our time has come. This is the time!” Chamisa told the crowd from a podium.
“We are going to win with a big and wide margin. Let’s just prepare for our inauguration.”
The rally marked the conclusion of an intense campaign during which numerous of Chamisa’s campaign events were prohibited, and a portion of his supporters were reportedly attacked by individuals believed to be ZANU activists.
Despite more than 100 gatherings being obstructed, as stated by Chamisa, who is also a Pentecostal preacher, he asserted, “God has said this is my time to be the president.”
CCC supporters chanted in Shona, “ZANU-PF rule will end, vote for Chamisa, poverty will end, Chamisa get into office and end corruption… bring suffering to an end.”
The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has gained significant popularity in Harare and other urban centers, particularly among the youth, who make up a significant portion of the voting population. In contrast, ZANU-PF holds more influence in rural regions.
The ex-British colony, known as Rhodesia at the time, declared independence from London in 1965 under the governance of a white-minority regime.
Following an extended guerrilla conflict, it achieved independence in 1980 and was subsequently renamed Zimbabwe.
However, during the tenure of its initial president Robert Mugabe, who was ousted by Mnangagwa in 2017, the young democracy devolved into authoritarianism and faced economic deterioration.
UN statistics indicate that nearly two-thirds of Zimbabwe’s population is below the age of 25.
Nevertheless, despite the abundance of mineral resources and agricultural prosperity in their nation, a significant number of them face challenges in securing steady employment.
The economy is currently entangled in hyperinflation, and the World Bank characterizes the nation’s debt levels as “unsustainable.”
In June, inflation surged to 175.8 percent, and by July, it moderated to 101 percent, as per official data; however, certain economists speculate it could be considerably higher.