We won’t persecute Mugabe: ZPF

By Blessings Mashaya

An official with the opposition Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) says they will not persecute ageing President Robert Mugabe if they assume power in the eagerly-anticipated 2018 elections since the nonagenarian is past his due date.

In a statement to the Daily News, former Masvingo minister of State Kudakwashe Bhasikiti said even though Mugabe and his Zanu PF government have been in breach of the country laws on several occasions — retribution is not on the ZPF agenda.

“Fresh free and fair elections will usher in a new political leadership to extricate Zimbabwe from this demise. No one can persecute such an old man. He has run past his race. The economic laws of diminishing returns are taking their toll on him. No one can expect fruits from a dry fig tree,” Bhasikiti said.

Bhasikiti, who was sacked from the governing party along with former Zanu PF bigwigs, ripped into Zanu PF’s so-called one centre of power.

“It is extremely surprising to hear Zanu PF asking those it expelled or suspended to write letters of appeal. Unashamedly, they set up a kangaroo court to hear those appeals. I just wanted to give free advice to Mugabe and his wife. They should simply apologise to all the people they abused with their unwarranted expulsions and suspensions.

“Nevertheless, they owe all the people they abused by these expulsions and suspensions an honest apology,” said Bhasikiti.

Pointing to recent confessions by suspended and expelled Zanu PF youths that there were used to vilify that former vice president Joice Mujuru Mujuru in 2014 — Bhasikiti said no “self-respecting cadre” should “glorify Mugabe’s’’ abuse by writing unwarranted letters of appeal for there is nothing to appeal for but receive an apology from abusers”.

But Bhasikiti noted that hoping to get an apology from Mugabe is perhaps asking for too much considering that the 92-year-old strongman has never apologised for the Gukurahundi atrocities of

the 1980s which resulted in the death of over 20 000 people.

“This same arrogance and self-denial is seen in the handling of the Gukurahundi massacres. All that is required from Mugabe  . . . is to publicly apologise together with all the soldiers who participated in that ordeal.”

According to Bhasikiti, all what Mugabe has to do is ensure that people who suffered at the hands of his long rule are compensated and find closure.

“This might see Mugabe go to his exit with some dignity and respect as we are all compelled to forgive those who persecute us.”

With the introduction of bond notes the talk of town, Bhasikiti said piecemeal solutions will not solve the country’s economic problems.

And with Zanu PF seemingly ready to embrace comrades who were expelled at the height of the 2014/15 purges Bhasikiti said he would rather die than join “a dead party”.

“I can go on to advise that he (Mugabe) should peacefully resign for he has run down our economy. The plan to reintroduce Zim dollars by the back door through bond notes will do nothing to avert this deterioration as economic performance has long ceased.” Daily News