Former Zanu (PF) provincial chair for Mashonaland West, Temba Mliswa, has laid into his former boss, President Robert Mugabe, and challenged him to be democratic.
Mliswa was speaking at a press conference in Harare today where he took time to respond to Mugabe’s call for African leaders to respect their constitutions during the African Union (AU) summit in South Africa recently.
Mugabe, as the AU chair, accused African leaders of trying to illegally stay in power in contravention of the provisions of the constitution.
“I have been closely following events at the AU summit where His Excellency, President Mugabe, talked about need for constitutionalism. But my word to him is that democracy cannot just be talked about.
“He was preaching the constitution but why should people be marshaled to vote using guns (in Zimbabwe)? My message to the AU chairman is that the (electoral) playing field must be even. The focus must be on that,” said Mliswa.
He was ejected from Zanu (PF) for reportedly supporting ousted Joice Mujuru, who was Mugabe’s vice between December 2004 and late 2014 and was accused of trying to topple Mugabe.
His ejection led to a by-election in Hurungwe West as one of the 16 by-elections that were called partly because of the expulsion of 14 former MDC-T members who formed the Renewal Team.
However, the run-up to the by-election in his former constituency in which he also contested, was marred by allegations of intimidation that involved the military, police and ruling party members.
Mliswa lost to Keith Guzha, the Zanu (PF) candidate who replaced him.
Zanu (PF) won in all the 16 by-elections.
