Opposition parties need to start participating in every election if they want to see the Zanu PF led government out of power or else they risk digging their political graves, Former Hurungwe West legislator has said.
Temba Mliswa, who will be standing as an independent candidate in the Norton by-elections set for 22 October, has castigated the opposition’s stance on by-elections.
Mliswa said it is high time the opposition front, led by the MDC-T, participate in all elections so as to fight the ruling party, Zanu PF.
“…what is basically happening is you cannot use the 2008 and 2013 election reports as a case study to take before the courts.
“The courts will ask you if you have participated in the by elections that have been held in-between that period. If you did not participate, then this create problems as electoral reforms won’t be implemented .
“The courts will simply tell you the by-elections were free and fair and that is the precedence that will be set. So by not taking part in these elections, the opposition parties are shooting themselves in the foot and digging their own graves,” Mliswa said.
He added that the courts will ask on the the last time the opposition parties partake in an election. If they have not done so, it becomes meaningless to talk about electoral reforms.
“Opposition parties would do well to encourage increased voter registration as opposed to boycotting elections, boycotting cultivates a habit of voter apathy that is bound to work against them in 2018,” the straight talking politician said.
The former Hurungwe west legislator did not have kind words for the opposition parties which he said were forcing him to write a letter requesting them to help him with campaigning for the vacant Norton Town parliamentary seat.
He said “Let me warn these opposition parties that I do not need help from them to win the Norton seat, I can do it all alone. They cannot be telling me to write a letter requesting them to help me. That is not going to happen.
“If they come to Norton they will realize I have a huge following, so I don’t need their help,” warned Mliswa.
He also urged new political parties to have sound structures nationwide and penetrate into rural areas which have been the stronghold of Zanu PF in elections gone by.
“New political parties should take part in elections to remain relevant and avert the perception that they are more of a family affair… if someone wants to stand, they must realize they are standing for the good of the country,” said Mliswa.
