ZANU-PF has no intention of creating an environment that will ensure it loses elections, ruling party Politburo member and Cabinet Minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo, has said.He told journalists at the Bulawayo Press Club on Friday:

“They want to say put in place electoral reforms that will ensure that you lose and we win. And we’re saying no. That will never happen anywhere in a modern constitutional democracy, that a political party that has come into government on the back of a new negotiated constitution, on the back of a new negotiated Electoral Act, comes up with reforms that will reform it out of power. Because the reforms they’re talking about are clear codes to say come with reforms that will ensure that you’re out.”

The Tsholotsho North MP said opposition parties are turning a blind eye to the Electoral Act which is a result of provisions of the Constitution that was adopted in 2013.

“Let us be clear. For a long time since 1999 the opposition said the most important reform in the country is a new constitution. They were saying ‘no new constitution no elections’ for a long time. We got that in 2013 and it was a negotiated constitution among those in the Global Political Agreement. And it was supported by the majority of the electorate through the referendum,” he said.

Zanu-PF, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T and the then Professor Mutambara-led MDC were the parties involved in the GPA.

Prof Moyo said when the new constitution was adopted the parties which were in Government started working on electoral reforms together.

Any institution that is unhappy with the Electoral Act, he said, should approach the Constitutional Court.

“Those who made these laws should be the ones who know about the provisions of Section 2 of our Constitution. They can’t keep saying that they’re practices that are this and that. Go to the Constitutional Court that’s why you’ve the new Constitution,” he said.

“The Electoral Act is a product of GPA parties. Then they figure ‘no we must still talk about electoral reforms.’ It is totally unacceptable and we should not be in doubt about that because the fundamental law of the country has changed and there is no law, conduct, practice or custom that supersedes the law or that is above the Constitution. Any aspect of our practice, political practice, custom, conduct or law that is inconsistent with this new constitution is a nullity,” said Prof Moyo.

He criticised Zimbabwe People First leader Dr Joice Mujuru, saying she was weak and incapable of running the country as she has been relying on the strength and reputation of other politicians.

He said Dr Mujuru was not a firmly grounded politician as evidenced by her recent alliance with MDC-T.

“There are some people who succeed under strong leadership but can’t themselves be leaders or provide alternative leadership. Mujuru is one of those. It’s not surprising that she is now trying to seek cover under Tsvangirai. It’s because she realises on her own that it will be a hard sell, it will be very difficult,” said Prof Moyo.

Dr Mujuru has no mental character to lead, he said, attributing her successes in Zanu-PF to President Mugabe.

“But under President Mugabe she did project herself well. Because strong leadership does provide useful cover,” he said.

He said if she had delayed her entry into opposition politics until a few months before the 2018 elections, Zanu-PF could have found itself witchhunting for her sympathisers within the party in limited time.

“If they would have come out three months or six months towards the next election we would have had a very tough customer to deal with. It would have prolonged witch hunting, and suspicions,” he said.

Prof Moyo also slammed individuals, like former Zanu-PF activist William Gerald Mutumanje for their tendency of denigrating President Mugabe saying their actions were a threat to the country’s foundational legacy.

“This stuff of demonising President Mugabe in the manner that some people are doing, is unacceptable because it is an attack on the foundational legacy of the country….Foundation of a nation is a historic fact. And it’s a historic fact that has its symbolism and when you denounce and disconnect with all your founding leaders you create a fragile republic which is always starting and starting.” By Nqobile Tshili. source-chronicle