Source: Zanu PF won’t reform: Munyeza – DailyNews Live
Blessings Mashaya 3 March 2017
HARARE – Prominent businessman Shingi Munyeza has warned opposition
parties that they must be ready to participate in 2018’s elections on an
uneven ground, as Zanu PF will not reform itself out of power.
Writing on his Facebook page, he said “many are looking forward to an
evening of the playing field by those already in power; this is wishful
thinking”.
“…there is never anyone in power who would be silly enough to transform
themselves out of power,” he said, adding that “get ready to play in an
uneven playing field and knowing that to win this time you have to be on
the right side of history”.
“In my scriptural allegory Caesar Augustus could not be bothered that Mary
was nearly due to give birth and that the inn would be fully booked and
that no one had the kindness to allow a first time pregnant young woman to
give birth in a safe environment,” the Faith Ministries Church senior
pastor said.
Zanu PF politburo member Jonathan Moyo has also made the assertion that
the ruling party will not reform itself out of power.
Munyeza – owner of the upmarket Ocean Basket and News Cafe restaurants
franchises in Zimbabwe – said “let those who are participating in this
landmark election not be fooled to think that there will be an even level
playing field”.
This comes as over 10 opposition parties have joined the MDC to form the
National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) in the call for a truly credible
election as a precondition for the return to legitimacy, which the parties
agreed must become an issue of national priority.
Nera demands that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) introduces the
biometric vote and also wants the next 2018 poll to be run and supervised
by the United Nations.
Besides a biometric voter register, Nera also calls for the complete and
total independence of Zec, the abandonment of the use of voter
registration slips in polling, the use of postal voting strictly in
accordance with the Sadc Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic
Elections, an accurate and up to date electronic voters roll to be made
available to all interested political players in a searchable and
analysable format, and that traditional leaders should be apolitical.
It also calls for the harmonisation of all laws with the new Constitution
of Zimbabwe and also envisages that members of the security services – the
real power behind President Robert Mugabe’s throne – should not
participate in any political activities.
The parties also want the Diaspora vote to immediately adopted and
implemented and that those in prisons and other places of incarceration
should be allowed to vote in accordance with the ruling of the African
Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other regional jurisprudence.
The 50-year-old Munyeza said Zimbabwe has entered into an election mode.
“The other smaller political parties have agreed on a coalition and
started the journey of campaigning. At the moment, we have 26 registered
political parties. And there is a distant noise about a third way or even
fourth way,” he said.
“All I can say is that the 2018 elections will be more significant than
the 2008. They will usher in a new era in our political history as well as
our destiny as a nation.”
Munyeza added: “It would be irresponsible for a Zimbabwean of a voting age
not to register and participate in this crucial destiny-changing moment.
“It does not matter whether you are at home or in the Diaspora, even Mary
and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem although the most sensible thing was
to stay at home.”
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