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Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Amon Murwira, has castigated the main opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, for refusing to accept election results in the just-ended August polls, adding that the move is an attack on the rule of law.
Addressing journalists in Harare on Monday while briefing African Union (AU) ambassadors on the internal political developments in the country, furious Murwira, who was acting as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, told Chamisa that the government will not tolerate “actions aimed at disturbing the peace” prevailing in the country.
Murwira also told AU ambassadors that Chamisa always refuses to join the national development political organ (POLAD) after every election.
“It is a matter of public record that one presidential candidate in the just ended harmonized elections declared, well ahead of the polls, and, brazenly in the presence of election observers and the media, that the candidate would not abide by any other result except one which “pronounced the candidate as the sole winner”. Indeed, this was the second such instance in which the candidate made such a declaration. Sadly, violence was ensured after such a declaration in 2018.
“This type of conduct is an attack on our democracy, constitutionalism, and the rule of law, regrettably, some countries have tended to support this undemocratic conduct. As in previous instances, Government will not tolerate any actions aimed at disturbing the peace under the guise of democratic political processes.
“Zimbabwe’s body politic provides for dialogue at all levels, in parliament, before, during and after elections. This spirit of dialogue crystallized into the Political Actors Dialogue at which all contesting parties and personalities meet regularly to engage in the national interest. This facility, which is meant to engender collaborative politics for national development, continues to be snubbed by one party and one player,” fumed Murwira.
However, addressing journalist in Harare recently after massive recalls of CCC senators and MP’s from parliament, Chamisa said he will engage Zanu Pf for a national dialogue, adding he had no intentions to join POLAD.
“We are not in the business of joining ghosts and platforms that are not credible. POLAD was there for the last five years. Can you show me one result other than making sure the political leaders are given accommodations in hotels and vehicles? No, we are not interested in that.
“POLAD is not a platform we will engage with, but we will engage with Zanu PF, but in a credible level. We will not be part of POLAD,” said the charismatic leader.
Chamisa’s dialogue proposal comes after a Bulawayo based CCC supporter who claims to be the part’s interim secretary general, Sengezo Tshabangu, recalled 15 CCC Members of Parliament and 17 councilors, alleging they had ceased to be members of the main opposition party.
Meanwhile, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi recently told state media in an interview that it may become necessary to bar political parties without structures from contesting in national elections.
He said the “endless” recalls by the opposition are a drain on the fiscus as the government is forced to divert funds towards financing by-elections.
“I think going forward we need to have a discussion, and conversations to ensure that political parties are registered. They deposit their constitution and show that they are organized.
“The situation that exists now is that we have had political parties that would just sprout towards elections.
“You have a coalition of individuals with no structure that is recognized and soon after elections they start fighting.
“You can’t tell who is who, and perhaps what needs to be discussed is that let us have proper political party registration so that all those parties without structures will not be able to contest,” he said.
Currently, Tafadzwa Manyika, claiming to be the interim Zanu PF Secretary General, has written to the Speaker of Parliament recalling 70 elected Zanu PF Members of Parliament.
Responding to this development on X, CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said these massive recalls will lead to a fresh election in Zimbabwe.
“A Demon of recalls engulfs the country. The speaker now has no option but to remove the recalled members as per the precedent he has set. At this rate, we are likely to have a fresh election sooner than we expected. With almost 100 MPs recalled, parliament has effectively collapsed. Compounded by the SHAM of August 2023, a fresh, free and fair election is now the only option,” he said.
