By Blessings Mashaya
Prominent businessman Shingi Munyeza has warned opposition parties that they must be ready to participate in 2018’s elections on an uneven ground, as Zanu PF will not reform itself out of power.
Writing on his Facebook page, he said “many are looking forward to an evening of the playing field by those already in power; this is wishful thinking”.
“…there is never anyone in power who would be silly enough to transform themselves out of power,” he said, adding that “get ready to play in an uneven playing field and knowing that to win this time you have to be on the right side of history”.
“In my scriptural allegory Caesar Augustus could not be bothered that Mary was nearly due to give birth and that the inn would be fully booked and that no one had the kindness to allow a first time pregnant young woman to give birth in a safe environment,” the Faith Ministries Church senior pastor said.
Zanu PF politburo member Jonathan Moyo has also made the assertion that the ruling party will not reform itself out of power.
Munyeza — owner of the upmarket Ocean Basket and News Café restaurants franchises in Zimbabwe — said “let those who are participating in this landmark election not be fooled to think that there will be an even level playing field”.
This comes as over 10 opposition parties have joined the MDC to form the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) in the call for a truly credible election as a precondition for the return to legitimacy, which the parties agreed must become an issue of national priority.
Nera demands that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) introduces the biometric vote and also wants the next 2018 poll to be run and supervised by the United Nations.
Besides a biometric voter register, Nera also calls for the complete and total independence of Zec, the abandonment of the use of voter registration slips in polling, the use of postal voting strictly in accordance with the Sadc Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, an accurate and up to date electronic voters roll to be made available to all interested political players in a searchable and analysable format, and that traditional leaders should be apolitical.
It also calls for the harmonisation of all laws with the new Constitution of Zimbabwe and also envisages that members of the security services — the real power behind President Robert Mugabe’s throne — should not participate in any political activities.
The parties also want the Diaspora vote to immediately adopted and implemented and that those in prisons and other places of incarceration should be allowed to vote in accordance with the ruling of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other regional jurisprudence.
The 50-year-old Munyeza said Zimbabwe has entered into an election mode.
“The other smaller political parties have agreed on a coalition and started the journey of campaigning. At the moment, we have 26 registered political parties. And there is a distant noise about a third way or even fourth way,” he said.
“All I can say is that the 2018 elections will be more significant than the 2008. They will usher in a new era in our political history as well as our destiny as a nation.”
Munyeza added: “It would be irresponsible for a Zimbabwean of a voting age not to register and participate in this crucial destiny-changing moment.
“It does not matter whether you are at home or in the Diaspora, even Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem although the most sensible thing was to stay at home.” Daily News