FINANCE deputy minister Terence Mukupe has said there is no way those
who were behind the military intervention that ousted former President
Robert Mugabe, can let MDC-T leader, Nelson Chamisa, to lead
Zimbabwe.
Addressing a Zanu PF cell meeting in Mandara, Harare on Monday,
Mukupe gave the first sign yet that Zanu PF is not prepared to lose the
upcoming general elections.
“How can we say, honestly, the soldiers took the country, practically
snatched it from Mugabe, to come and hand it over to Chamisa?
“A child talking about spaghetti roads, who is talking about impregnating all women?
“This country, where it is now and where it is coming from, needs
a grown up, a steady hand, a person who can stabilise things.”
Mukupe said while he also wanted to be President of the country,
he was not yet mature enough to handle the office or even to have
soldiers saluting him, the same manner Chamisa wanted to be saluted.
“Look at me, I also want to be a President, there is no one who
does not want to seat in the (Mercedes) Benz while sirens are sounding
all the way, but everything has its time,” he said.
“I don’t think that I am mature enough to be given the country to
run and all the soldiers in this country salute me saying ‘the
commander in chief is here’.
“But I heard Chamisa, at another rally, saying in the morning he wakes up and practices how to inspect a guard of honour.”
MDC Alliance spokesperson, Welshman Ncube said Mukupe’s
statements were extremely worrying going into an election given that the
military then led by the late former commander Vitalis Zvinavashe, once
declared the presidency was a strait jacket only for people who fought
in the liberation struggle.
“The statements by the civilian beneficiary of military rule are
most unfortunate and should be withdrawn with immediate effect,” he
admonished.
“This is clearly why we have been calling on the military element
to withdraw the statements made by the late General Zvinavashe, Mukupe
is just repeating the statements by that command, he is a pawn in the
scheme of things.”
Ncube said the threats could be real because the late MDC-T
leader, Morgan Tsvangirai was blocked from assuming power after winning
the 2008 presidential poll.
MDC-T spokesperson, Tabitha Khumalo has said Mukupe’s statement
amounted to a threat against democracy and instilled fear in the
electorate to the extent that some of them might not vote freely.
“This is why we have been calling for the demilitarisation of the
elections in this country, these statements coming from a deputy
minister and Zanu PF politician are most unfortunate and should be
condemned,” she said.
“These are statements being uttered by people who know they have lost and now want to bring the fear factor into the elections.
“We also call on the military to be professional and stay in their barracks.”
Mukupe’s statements are in sharp contrast with those made by
Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, who said Zanu PF will hand over power if
they lose the polls.
Military interference in the country’s elections has continued to
be a dominant theme, with some Zanu PF officials in the past reported
to have said the army will assist the party to remain in power. Newsday
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