A source who spoke to this publication informed that most of the SADC member states appear disinclined to entertain the CCC's allegations of election malfeasance.
The source said that CCC Secretary for International Relations, Gladys Hlatshwayo, along with senior CCC member, Jameson Timba, recently held a critical meeting with South Africa's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Rejoice Mabudafhasi.
According to the source, the duo urged the Ambassador to relay to President Cyril Ramaphosa their belief that, for the satisfaction of all stakeholders, the recent elections should be held again.
However, their pleas appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
"Hlatshwayo and Timba left that meeting deflated. They felt that Ambassador Mabudafhasi's response was eerily reminiscent of a ZANU PF political commissar's stance," revealed the source.
The same source added that this reluctance was not isolated to South Africa, as some SADC countries were of the belief that Zimbabwe’s elections were done and dusted.
"It's evident that the wider SADC community views the Zimbabwean elections as concluded. The persistent calls for a re-run are gaining minimal traction," the source remarked.
The source claimed that the CCC, sensing a possible diplomatic stalemate, was now adopting a more grassroots strategy.
"They are hoping that their members, who work in various embassies, can influence ambassadors and, through them, their respective presidents. The goal remains the same: to push for fresh elections," the source confirmed.
Among those tapped for this covert operation is Ruwa Ward 3 councillor, Keith Goto, a marketing officer at South Africa's embassy in Zimbabwe.
Goto has been entrusted with the task of underscoring the purported need for a redo of the elections, arguing a solid case of electoral misconduct.
However, according to the source, even this internal strategy seems fraught with challenges.
"Goto relayed back to Hlatshwayo his predicament; as he's not part of the political desk, accessing crucial information or influencing Mabudafhasi remains a tall order," the source confided.
Meanwhile, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has firmly closed the door on the 2023 electoral debates, emphasizing the nation's forward trajectory.
Furthermore, he recently emphasized that the 2023 elections have concluded and called on forward-thinking Zimbabweans to come together and concentrate on the nation's collective progress and development.
