The newly formed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) says its leader, Nelson Chamisa, is expected to visit Bulawayo on Monday to campaign for candidates contesting the forthcoming council and parliamentary by elections amid a tense security situation in the country’s second largest city.
CCC provincial chairperson, Swithern Chiroodza, told VOA Zimbabwe Service that Chamisa would boost the moral of the candidates because he is “the people’s president.”
Chiroodza said, “It is a good omen to have the president of the party coming to grace this occasion. In previous campaigns we didn’t have the president. We are very happy and confident that we will march to victory.”
Some of the candidates contesting parliamentary by-elections in both Nkulumane and Pumula were recalled by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change led by Douglas Mwonzora, who is fielding candidates under the MDC Alliance.
Several council and parliamentary seats are up for grabs in the city and nationwide.
The government has already deployed police in various suburbs in the city with indications that Chamisa may find it hard to carry out his campaign like in some areas where he was blocked by the riot police.
Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, was unavailable for comment.
Zimbabwean laws allow people to gather after getting a go-ahead from the police.