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Mugabe, Smith more or less the same: Mliswa

Politics
EXPELLED former Zanu PF Mashonaland West chairman Temba Mliswa has said President Robert Mugabe’s government is no different from Ian Smith’s repressive Rhodesian regime and urged youths to fight to liberate themselves.

EXPELLED former Zanu PF Mashonaland West chairman Temba Mliswa has said President Robert Mugabe’s government is no different from Ian Smith’s repressive Rhodesian regime and urged youths to fight to liberate themselves.

BY MOSES MATENGA

In a solidarity message at the launch of the Itai Dzamara Trust Fund in Harare yesterday, Mliswa said he believed in what the missing Dzamara stood for.

He said the time was nigh for youths to fight for what they believe in the same way the current crop of leaders fought for the liberation of the country.

TEMBA MLISWA

“It’s time to stand for what we believe in. Even if I was still an MP, I would have come here. If you are a true MP and you don’t fight for such, ask yourself: What am I doing?” said the former Hurungwe West legislator.

“I have been MP, central committee member, chairman of a portfolio committee in a short space of time and I want to use all those experiences. I ask other MPs what they are doing. I will undertake to adhere to the Constitution and human rights.”

He commended plans by former Vice-President Joice Mujuru to launch a political party to challenge Zanu PF, but warned without credible reforms, the country would remain difficult to lead.

“We need rule of law for anyone to invest in Zimbabwe. Any politician with that on the agenda first, them certainly election will come, but the 2018 election will be just as controversial because these people will still be in power. So we have to work,” Mliswa said. He said the MDC-T had won several previous elections, but failed to take over State power because of the absence of the rule of law.

“The same way they fought the Smith regime is what we should do. It’s only that Smith was white and we are fighting a black Smith,” said the businessman.

Dzamara, leader of the Occupy Africa Unity Square group, which was advocating for Mugabe to step down from power, was abducted by suspected State security agents six months ago and his whereabouts have remained unknown.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights official Kennedy Masiye said human rights defenders would never tire in their fight for the safe return of Dzamara.

“There was an order that we be given reports regularly. We rarely see those reports if ever they come. We will continue to force and find ways and institutions that will help us to force government to investigate and avail Dzamara. We shall not tire,” Masiye said.

Church leader Bishop Ancelimo Magaya, who officially launched the trust fund, said Dzamara’s disappearance had angered many and also urged Zimbabweans to continue fighting for the return of the activist.

MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora was also in attendance so were Dzamara family members including his mother and brother Patson.