Source: ‘Mujuru could be Zim’s saviour’ – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 5, 2017
ZIMBABWE needs to elect a woman as leader if it is to extricate itself from years of maladministration and former Vice-President and opposition National People’s Party (NPP) leader, Joice Mujuru could be the country’s saviour, the party’s deputy leader, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo has said.
BY SILAS NKALA
Nkomo told residents of Bulawayo’s Emganiwni suburb that Zimbabwe needed to follow Liberia’s example, where former dictator Charles Taylor was dethroned and a woman, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, replaced him.
“Zimbabwe has been ruled by a man for 37 years. We can see that a male leader has destroyed the country,” he said.
“In Liberia, Taylor ruled the country and messed it up, when he was removed a woman took over and look at how good the country has became.
“If it happened in Liberia that a woman took over from male counterpart and did better, why can’t we try it in Zimbabwe?”
Taylor served as Liberian president from 1997 and resigned in 2003 under international pressure and was succeeded by Moses Blah, who served for two months.
Blah was replaced by a United Nations-backed transitional government, headed by Gyude Bryant, who served between October 2003 and January 2006.
Bryant was succeeded by Sirleaf, who on assumption of power immediately demanded the extradition of the exiled Taylor, which culminated in the former warlord’s trial and subsequent conviction.
Nkomo said NPP is presenting the electorate with an opportunity to elect a woman (Mujuru), as President.
He likened her to the biblical matriarch, Esther, who, he said, saved the children of Israel.
“As male leaders, we have failed to run this country, we must allow women to take over,” Nkomo said.
He went on to say Mujuru’s liberation war credentials were unquestionable and stood her in good stead, adding the NPP leader was above reproach.
But Mthwakazi Republic Party leader, Mqondisi Moyo said Nkomo was singing for his supper, adding Mujuru had insulted the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo.
“She is the very Mujuru, who once insulted the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo and we know that she amassed her wealth through corruption,” he said.
MDC spokesperson, Kurauone Chihwayi said Nkomo should not mislead people.
“We don’t need a former Zanu PF person or anyone with a military background to win the 2018 general elections. The MDC will not take such clueless and divisive characters seriously,” he said.
People’s Democratic Party spokesperson, Jacob Mafume said at this point, parties were at a stage where sober heads needed to prevail.
“We need in our speeches at senior level to offer ourselves as an alternative without being disagreeable,” he said.
“We are now in danger of having leaders of a coalition without the coalition itself.
“It’s like having the best bus driver or the best pilot without a bus or aeroplane to fly. It can be a source of great pride, but you might not fly, so let’s have the coalition and then we choose its leaders.”
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