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.
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.
“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.”
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