ZIMBABWEANS will find a way of confronting President Robert Mugabe’s administration if elections do not work, presidential aspirant and former Cabinet minister Nkosana Moyo has said.
BY RICHARD CHIDZA
Moyo, who is now fronting opposition grouping Alliance for People’s Agenda (APA), told NewsDay yesterday that Mugabe had usurped the country’s Constitution and created a “super class” of individuals.
“The economic circumstances in the country dictate that Zimbabweans are unhappy because they are living under very difficult conditions, except for a few thousand people connected to the top. People carrying a Zanu PF card will vote against that party because they are not an exception,” Moyo, who served as Industry and International Trade minister at the turn of the century before he resigned, said.
“It is obvious that those in power have created a social time-bomb and if elections do not work, then they will find another way. Ian Smith (Rhodesian Prime Minister) did not give us the vote, but it did not stop them rebelling. Zimbabweans will find a way. You cannot ill-treat people forever. It has never worked and will never work.”
Mugabe has a chequered human rights record, with most elections in Zimbabwe characterised by violence and intimidation as well as liquidation of opposition activists.
Moyo said while he had not received direct threats to his life since announcing his candidature, the situation in the country remained tense.
“I have not been threatened directly, but that is not to say I am safe or I feel safe. The situation in the country is such that citizens do not feel safe and I am not an exception. Those in power have created a class of people, who are above the law. There is nothing that they do according to the law,” he said.
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“To them, the Constitution is for a class of sub-humans, while they operate at some level above the law.
“It is a reality that our people are afraid and have been intimidated. It is sad that a black government resorts to methods used by Rhodesians and the boers in South Africa, but failed. Time will come when our people will say enough is enough and we believe the time is now.” Moyo said he has been working hard to set up structures across the country and his party will soon make public its leadership. “We are in the process. The team is coming together and I would expect that in another four weeks, we would be ready. We have, thus far, covered at least half the country in terms of structures. We will contest the general elections at all levels. We will contest the presidential elections, all parliamentary seats as well as all wards,” he said.
Moyo once again scoffed at calls for an opposition coalition ahead of the elections.
“These people said to be coming together to form an alliance have been together before. There is no alliance to talk about. They differed at a personality level, but there was nothing in terms of principle where they differed,” he said .
“Other than the so-called MDC-T, many of these other people do not have any following that warrants forming an alliance. They should just join the MDC-T because their numbers do not make any sense.”
