A group of mostly academics calling itself the Platform for Concerned Citizens (PCC) has made fresh calls for the establishment of a neutral National Transitional Authority (NTA) to steer the country to credible election in Zimbabwe, which they said cannot be possible any time soon, even in 2018.

Addressing a press conference in Harare Wednesday, spokesperson for the group, Ibbo Mandaza, said the NTA would prevent the country from collapsing into an unacceptable political and socio-economic environment.

“We have to rescue the country before bloodletting happens. Do we have to wait for bloodshed and do we have the power to stop the bloodshed if it starts," Mandaza said.

"We are of the view that no election in the current political climate, whether called early or in 2018 can resolve the deep structural deficits of the state and in any event, no election without considerable reform of the state and the creation of a level playing field can possibly lead to a legitimate outcome,” he said.

He said it was not possible to effect substantial reforms of the state institutions with one political party in power, given the polarisation in the country.

Mandaza also dismissed a government of national unity, saying experiences in the country in 2013 had proved it did not work as there was no political will from the two parties in government.

He said the idea of the NTA would definitely get resistance from the ruling party although it would cushion many in the ruling party and government

“We are not surprised at the kind of reaction we are getting form the ruling party; those are knee-jerk reactions to the proposals but there is nothing unconstitutional with the NTA given that you can see parliament is quite central in that thing.

“I would say many in the ruling party and the state may find refuge in the NTA when things get rough as they are already. The NTA might pre-empt the high possibility of factionalism becoming violent within the ruling party and I would say that if I were in the ruling party in such instances I would look forward to this kind of thing as a possible way out of it,” he said.

He said there was a possibility of factional fights in Zanu PF spilling over and affecting innocent civilians.

“There is a tendency by politicians to mobilise widely in furthering your cause and using the youths as cannon fodder in violent confrontations,” he said.

The SADC, Mandaza said, was not in a situation to initiate any solution to Zimbabwe’s crisis as evidenced by previous events where President Mugabe threatened to leave the regional bloc if they censured him.

“The region has no capacity to help us. It is lacking in capacity to do anything. They have been very quiet for the past three years and some in the globe are in a hurry to see stability for their own sake,” he said.

Another member of the group, Tony Reeler, said although there were examples of countries such as Italy and South Africa which had gone through the NTA way, Zimbabwe’s case was a unique one which needed treading carefully.

“We might have the problem of political parties that might not concede losing and our task is to persuade the populace to be part of the process so that there is conversation along the issue.

He said citizens had lost faith in political parties, adding Zimbabweans needed to be more than just voters and participate in the process.