Source: ED under pressure over poll reforms – DailyNews Live
Farayi Machamire 9 March 2018
HARARE – Opposition United African National Council (UANC) leader Nesbert
Mtengezanwa has petitioned President Emmerson Mnangagwa to make major
reforms to allow for a fair vote.
Mtengezanwa’s UANC was founded by the first black prime minister of the
short-lived Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, Bishop Abel Muzorewa – now late.
In a March 5 petition, Mtengezanwa reminded Mnangagwa “about the letters
that we wrote to your predecessor in the last two years the last one being
in October last year before your dismissal.”
Mnangagwa assumed power in November following a de facto coup that ousted
his 94-year-old predecessor Robert Mugabe.
Mnangagwa, 75, is pushing for a general election to be held by mid-2018.
Mtengezanwa said Mnangagwa was stalling on the critical media, electoral
and security sector reforms needed for a free and fair vote.
“Levelling of the democratic space has proved to be your biggest undoing
despite your continued singing that you want to have a free and fair
election, chief among them the coverage of opposition political parties on
the national broadcaster.
“Your party, you and your wife (Auxillia) seem to have the lion’s share,”
Mtengezanwa said in his letter to Mnangagwa.
“Above all, you seem to be mum on the electoral reforms which I believe
are key to a credible election.
“The continued interference of the army in the day-to-day running of the
country has raised a lot of questions from both the locals and the
international world.
“Recent news that the composition of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec)
is militarised is not something that you should just brush aside as this
is key to a free and fair election.”
Mtengezanwa added: “I would like to remind you that the people of Zimbabwe
went into the streets not in support of you in November last year but in
celebration that finally Mugabe had gone.
“As advice, I would like to say to you elections without a meaningful
reform is not the way to go.
“I advise you to rethink and consider an all-political parties conference
and have an inclusive government where the parties will choose the one to
head the government while making the necessary reforms for a credible
election.
“To ordinary Zimbabweans, things haven’t changed since you came in despite
your assurance that things will change.
“They still cannot access their cash in the banks, prices of basic
commodities continue to rise beyond their reach and we now have an
increase in vendors than before which is not healthy for you and the
country.”
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