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Outrage over Mnangagwa remarks

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OPPOSITION parties and analysts yesterday criticised Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s utterances that the ruling Zanu PF is unfazed by main opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s call for electoral reforms.

OPPOSITION parties and analysts yesterday criticised Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s utterances that the ruling Zanu PF is unfazed by main opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s call for electoral reforms.

By Everson Mushava

Mnangagwa on Tuesday, while drumming up support for Zanu PF candidate for Chikanga-Dangamvura constituency, Esau Mupfumi, for the June 10 by-elections, ruled out electoral reforms.

He told Zanu PF supporters that MDC-T leader Tsvangirai would continue to “make noise outside government” while his Zanu PF party ruled.

This followed the decision by the MDCs to boycott participating in by-elections until electoral reforms to level the playing field were made.

MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said Mnangagwa was out of touch and it would be “an unmitigated disaster for Zimbabwe if, somehow, he becomes the President of the country”.

“The man loathes free and fair elections simply because he has never been a democrat. All tyrants and dictators in the making are extremely fearful of free and fair elections,” Gutu said.

MDC Renewal Team spokesperson Jacob Mafume said Mnangagwa sounded unrefined and vindictive.

“Someone should actually whisper to him that to rule is not simply government titles, but to actually be able to pay civil servants salaries and fund government programmes,” Mafume said.

Transform Zimbabwe spokesperson Sungai Mazando, whose party is participating in the by-elections, said Mnangagwa’s remarks were regrettable. He said reforms had nothing to do with the opposition, but were for every progressive Zimbabwean who voted for the new Constitution in February 2013.

“What we simply want is to have electoral laws aligned with the new Constitution. The VP’s statements show that he has some dictatorial tendencies. Last time he threatened chiefs in Chirumanzu against voting for anyone except Zanu PF. We are fast losing respect for him,” Mazando said.

Media and political analyst Ernest Mudzengi said Mnangagwa’s utterances showed that Zanu PF was not committed to reforms that can usher free and fair elections.

“Free and fair elections will endanger Zanu PF’s chances of holding on to power. For them to remain in power, they rely on an uneven playing field. It would be fallacy to think that Mnangagwa would change the country’s political culture,” Mudzengi said.

Political analyst Alexander Rusero said Mnangagwa wanted to create an impression that he would assume Mugabe’s hard-line stance and will not budge to any amount of pressure. He said the MDC-T calls for reforms could not be ignored.

“Those who think that reforms are a hallucination of the MDC-T are missing the point,” he added. Dewa Mavhinga, a researcher and human rights activist, said the VP’s remarks reaffirmed the hardliner tag that he has had for a long time.

“For someone who is believed to be a front runner to succeed Mugabe in Zanu PF, it is worrying that he espouses views that are anti-democracy and anti-human rights. If Mnangagwa becomes President, then Zimbabwe can expect more of the same rather than reform and democratisation,” Mavhinga said.