News / National
Chamisa says losing CCC candidates are free to stand as independents
19 Jun 2023 at 15:12hrs | Views
The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa says candidates who are not happy about the party's candidate selection process are free to stand as independent candidates in the upcoming elections.
The opposition party adopted a community-driven candidate selection process ditching the traditional primary elections process.
However, the process has been marred by confusion and chaos in some areas with the party yet to unveil its candidates with a few hours left before the nomination court seats.
The party on Sunday announced the top three candidates in each constituency while the names of the preferred candidates were not announced.
"Those who want to be independent are free, in fact being independent is the simplest thing, they can actually file now, but those who want to be CCC, they are already on the party ticket and they will register as party-nominated candidates," said Chamisa.
He said those candidates with issues that might not have been resolved by the grievances body are free to stand on their own.
"If you have any query, you have already approached the grievance handling body if your issue is not resolved, you are free to even stand on your own, in fact, the more the merrier, but what we know is that CCC will have a full complement of candidates and they are going to be announced."
Chamisa said the party will not announce the names of candidates selected for the 2023 general elections as they fear that the ZANU-PF will target the candidates.
"Why should we announce candidates in the context where we have Zanu-PF literally pursuing our candidates one by one why should we give you the final list now so that we are advertising targets and victims," he said.
"Dealing with Zanu-PF, we know how to deal with them, even if they come hoping to get information through journalists, we will not give them that information, we will give them necessary information for them to understand that we are coming and we are ready for them."
The opposition party adopted a community-driven candidate selection process ditching the traditional primary elections process.
However, the process has been marred by confusion and chaos in some areas with the party yet to unveil its candidates with a few hours left before the nomination court seats.
The party on Sunday announced the top three candidates in each constituency while the names of the preferred candidates were not announced.
"Those who want to be independent are free, in fact being independent is the simplest thing, they can actually file now, but those who want to be CCC, they are already on the party ticket and they will register as party-nominated candidates," said Chamisa.
He said those candidates with issues that might not have been resolved by the grievances body are free to stand on their own.
"If you have any query, you have already approached the grievance handling body if your issue is not resolved, you are free to even stand on your own, in fact, the more the merrier, but what we know is that CCC will have a full complement of candidates and they are going to be announced."
Chamisa said the party will not announce the names of candidates selected for the 2023 general elections as they fear that the ZANU-PF will target the candidates.
"Why should we announce candidates in the context where we have Zanu-PF literally pursuing our candidates one by one why should we give you the final list now so that we are advertising targets and victims," he said.
"Dealing with Zanu-PF, we know how to deal with them, even if they come hoping to get information through journalists, we will not give them that information, we will give them necessary information for them to understand that we are coming and we are ready for them."
Source - cite.org.zw
