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Temba Mliswa

Lloyd Gumbo Herald Reporter
Independent Member of Parliament for Norton, Mr Temba Mliswa says the proposed coalition of opposition parties will not bear fruit as the parties lack the strength to fish from the zanu-pf pool. He said the recent by-election in Bikita West where zanu-pf candidate Cde Beauty Chabaya got more than 13 000 votes was testimony that the revolutionary party continued to consolidate its support base.

Mr Mliswa made the remarks while addressing the media in Harare on Wednesday as he reiterated that the MDC-T had no input in his victory in the Norton by-election last year.

He said the outcome of the Bikita West by-election was a clear indication that zanu-pf meant business. “The opposition has no strategy and answer to the problems of this country,” said Mr Mliswa.

“I said it and I will repeat it, you cannot win an election in this country without a component of zanu-pf. Do your maths. zanu-pf had over 60 percent in 2013 while opposition had below 40 percent. Even if the opposition gets together, it will still remain 40 percent. I have not seen anything meaningful that they have done.

“They just want to ride on what Z zanu-pf is not doing, which it must do. If zanu-pf decided to focus on addressing the policies in their manifesto and not the factions, which are there, they are untouchable.”

Mr Mliswa said the Bikita-West by-election outcome had dealt ZimPF leader, Dr Joice Mujuru, a major blow. He said while Mr Kudakwashe Gopo was the candidate, the greatest loser was his party leader, Dr Joice Mujuru whose party made a maiden appearance at last week’s by-election.

Mr Mliswa also rapped Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister and zanu-pf Politburo member, Professor Jonathan Moyo accusing him of fraud.

“In 1998 in Kenya, Professor Moyo’s former employers, the Ford Foundation accused him of stealing over $108 000 from a fund advanced to the Series on Alternative Research in East Africa Trust (Sareat) that was meant for studies on policy issues,” said Mr Mliswa.

“This money was allegedly siphoned through an organisation named after his children into his account in South Africa where the professor is purported to have purchased a house.

“He then moved to the University of Witwatersrand in 1998 where they claim that he eventually absconded with R100 million research grant for the project. “So how unfounded are the Zimdef allegations given the professor’s alleged penchant for dipping into funds meant for meaningful projects? said Mr Mliswa.