CITIZENS Coalition for Change (CCC) President Nelson Chamisa has said Zimbabwe's August 23 elections are a matter of life or death, highlighting the country's poor economic state as an example.
Chamisa said this at a packed Mkoba Stadium in Gweru, Sunday, where his party officially launched its 2023 campaign dubbed 'For Everyone.'
It was the second attempt for the CCC after a plan to launch their programme in Bindura was thwarted by police last weekend.
"This campaign is not about political parties, this campaign is about the choice between life and death," said Chamisa to a sea of yellow at the formerly glorious stadium.
"It is about choosing light over darkness. We have been given a chance to right the wrongs by voting for everyone's leadership, everyone's emancipation, everyone's health and education.
"If you vote for a good President everything else will be good for the people of Zimbabwe, if you vote otherwise then disorder will remain. Remember a disorganised government can easily disorganise people.
"Just look at how poor Zimbabweans have become, the whole country now stinks of poverty while others survive on stealing our resources, you all watched The Gold Mafia.
"We want a government for everyone, we no longer want a country which is the most disgraceful across our region."
Gold Mafia was an investigative report by Al Jazeera which exposed how President Emmerson Mnangagwa and those close to him were smuggling hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the precious mineral to Dubai and other havens.
His comments on poverty were in response to Zimbabwe's resurgent economic crisis that has troubled Zanu PF for over two decades.
The country's poor economic state has been accused of destabilising neighbouring countries, especially South Africa which has had to deal with millions seeking better opportunities and at times burdening its social services.
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Of ten candidates, Chamisa is expected to be tough competition for Mnangagwa with whom he unsuccessfully wrestled for presidency in 2018.
He paraded his over 210 Parliamentary candidates, urging supporters to ignore double candidates which will likely be on Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's (ZEC) final ballot paper.
Chamisa blamed Zanu PF-aligned Forever Associates of Zimbabwe (FAZ) for the chaos that emanated on nomination day, describing it as fools and adding that the move was a sure sign Zanu PF was not confident of a triumph.
"Did you see what they did? They created double candidates and lied that they were ours, a role played by Forever Foolish in Zimbabwe," added Chamisa in reference to FAZ.
"Those are not our people, they are doing this because they know they will not win in Bulawayo or Harare. They want to divide the vote and pave way for a Zanu PF candidate.
"We will be going to all these constituencies to market our own. We want a whitewash, we want to win every parliamentary and council seat."
