HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe held special elections on Saturday for nine seats in Parliament, amidst allegations of illegality and calls for democracy. The opposition lawmakers from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party were disqualified from running again after being removed from their positions by the ruling ZANU-PF party.

The nine opposition lawmakers, who were elected in the national vote in August, were recalled from their positions by an official claiming to be the party's secretary-general, Sengezo Tshabangu. CCC leader Nelson Chamisa disputed Tshabangu's authority, stating that he held no position within the party and his instructions should be ignored. However, the Zimbabwean courts recognized Tshabangu's authority and ruled to remove the opposition MPs, declaring them ineligible to run.

"This is not an election. This is not democracy," expressed Gift Ostallos Siziba, the opposition deputy spokesperson.

A late-night court ruling on Friday resulted in the ZANU-PF candidate for the seat in Harare running uncontested. The CCC, on the eve of the special elections, announced that it had lodged an appeal with the Supreme Court, demanding that eight of its candidates be included on the ballots. The Harare seat candidate was not mentioned.

The main opposition party, CCC, accused the ruling ZANU-PF of attempting to increase its control in Parliament and using the courts to achieve this goal. ZANU-PF has been in power since Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980. The CCC further claimed that ZANU-PF was using Tshabangu and the courts to "decimate" the opposition.

"The battle lines have been clearly drawn," stated the CCC on social media site X. "The actions of the court officials who contributed to the demise of democracy in Zimbabwe will be recorded in the country's history."

ZANU-PF currently holds 177 out of 280 parliamentary seats and aims to secure a two-thirds majority to change the constitution. This would grant the party the power to remove term limits for presidents and make other alterations. To achieve this, it needs an additional 10 seats.

Saturday's special elections mark the beginning, as Tshabangu has also recalled numerous other opposition lawmakers, local councilors, and mayors. More elections are scheduled in the coming months.

International rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have accused ZANU-PF of employing institutions such as the courts and the police force to suppress opposition and criticism.

The United States State Department responded to the situation by imposing visa restrictions on individuals in Zimbabwe who are believed to have undermined democracy and excluded members of the political opposition from electoral processes. The department did not disclose the names of the restricted individuals.

As Zimbabwe continues to navigate these contentious special elections, the question of democracy and fairness remains at the forefront, with the CCC and other opposition groups steadfast in their push for greater transparency and inclusivity.