FREE-SPOKEN militant South African opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema says if Zimbabweans want main opposition CC leader Nelson Chamisa to become the new president, they must be allowed to vote for him without hindrances.
NATHAN GUMA
This comes after South Africa’s governing African National Congress Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula recently claimed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration has been implementing some reforms but the West is still not satisfied as it wants Chamisa to become Zimbabwe’s next president.
Addressing the ANC 9th Western Cape provincial conference on 24 June, Mbalula said: “Mnangagwa brought some reforms in Zimbabwe, but they (the West) did not want those reforms because they want a man called Chamisa. They want him there to be the leader; the new leader of a new Zimbabwe. And then we say to the Americans and say to the British, give the Zimbabweans what they deserve, because you agreed in Lancaster that you will give them £40 billion for land reform and redistribution programme,” he said.
However, dismissed Mbalula’s assertions as unsubstantiated on a range of issues. Malema says independent presidential election candidate Saviour Kasukuwere must be allowed to contest the 23 August election if Zimbabwe is a genuine democracy.
By banning Kasukuwere, Malema says Mnangagwa is showing signs of panic and running scared of the former Zanu PF political commissar, minister and MP.
“Why are you scared of Kasukuwere?; Kasukuwere must be allowed to contest,” Malema says.
Malema also lashed out Mbalula for suggesting that Chamisa is an American puppet. He says Mbalula has no right to lecture anyone on puppetry politics when the ANC and CCC policies are basically the same.
If Mbalula characterises Chamisa as an American puppet, he must produce some evidence to back his claims, he adds.
“Who is he to tell us that Chamisa is an American puppet?,” Malema says.
He says the ANC was from the inception a British project to an extent that it even inserted in its constitution that “God protect the Queen”.
Malema further notes the upcoming elections are critical for Zimbabwe and South Africa in the context of regional stability and economic prosperity.
He adds South Africa needs a stable Zimbabwe to stem the tide of immigrants and stop xenophobia against Zimbabweans.
“We need a stable Zimbabwe, especially ourselves as South Africa,” he notes.
South Africa has borne the brunt of Zimbabwe’s dramatic collapse due to a tragic failure of leadership, governance and policy bungling, and corruption.
This come as former South African president Jacob Zuma recently said Zimbabwe should take lessons and learn from its past mistakes to avoid disputed more elections. Zimbabwe has for decades now been a vortex of crisis at the heart of the region.
Its economic collapse has spawned serious problems for its neighbouring, including waves of immigrants.
Zuma, whose government brokered Zimbabwe’s unity government which subsisted between 2009 and 2013, was in Zimbabwe for the inaugural edition of the African Voluntary Carbon Emissions Forum being held in Victoria Falls. The forum was also attended by Mnangagwa.
“Looking forward to the elections, particularly if you take where we come from, from Zimbabwe and what has been happening in Zimbabwe and we know that as a result of probably the disagreements, some Zimbabweans had to leave the country,” he said.
“I am hoping that when you come to elections, you would have looked at what happened in the last election and what were the short-comings; what were the mistakes and what were the other things and how to correct them so that in the next elections, you produce better results that will make all citizens feel at home, feel that we are part of the process and I am hoping Zimbabweans will do so.”
Zimbabwe’s elections have in the past two decades been disputed due to irregularities, intimidation and violence.
Malema recently urged Zimbabweans based in South Africa to return home to vote to decide their destiny.
South Africa’s opposition Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie, who has been spew ing xenophobic vitriol against foreigners, has been railing against Zimbabwe, saying they must leave and go back home to fix their own country.
Opposition ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has been doing the same.
