Zimbabwe’s opposition political parties have requested a meeting with President Robert Mugabe, and his state security chiefs over the countrys deteriorating economy, said a report on Thursday.
According to NewsDay, the chairperson of the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera), Didymus Mutasa, said that the meeting would also discuss the need for electoral reforms to make sure free and fair elections in 2018.
Mutasa insisted that Mugabe and the country’s security chiefs had no choice but to agree to the meeting, as their concerns were legitimate.
“We want to tell him that the people of Zimbabwe want this and that. They want free and fair elections. He has no option, but to meet us. He will have to because our concerns are legitimate,” Mutasa was quoted as saying.
This came just a day after the opposition parties vowed to intensify calls for electoral reforms ahead of the 2018 polls.
Nera had previously said that its patience was “running out” and would use various channels to make sure that the reforms were implemented before the elections.
Some of the demands made by the opposition parties included allowing the country’s citizens in the diaspora to take part in the vote.
They also wanted the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to introduce the biometric vote, and to allow the United Nation to run the elections.
Reports indicated that at least 10 opposition parties were signatories to the electoral reforms in June.
