Presidential aspirant and leader of the FreeZim Congress, Joseph Makamba Busha has proposed an upward review of nomination fees for the Presidential candidate to deter individuals who are not committed to serving the nation.
Busha who came a distant fourth in the 2018 Presidential elections announced that he will once again contest in this year’s elections promising to give the incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa a good run for his money.
Addressing journalists in Harare on Monday, Busha called for the reduction of nomination fees for aspiring councilors and Members of Parliament.
“I believe that the nomination fees for councillors and MPs is exorbitant and I think for Councillors its should be reduced into half and for the MPs I believe it should be reduced into half as well. I think for the presidency they can even put it at $50 000 because we do not want people who want to play with Zimbabweans,” Busha said
He also criticized the formation of the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD), a platform created to foster dialogue and cooperation among political parties.
“If you look at all those people in POLAD, what have they achieved since the formation of POLAD. We think its formation was illegal, it was political expediency by the President and they have achieved nothing for the country. I believe that if anybody wants to prove that they are ready now to serve the nation they must be able to lead.
“Leaders pay all the time, leaders who pay through stress, sacrifice but those in the liberation struggle they had no promises for them when they went to Mozambique and I think they went there because they wanted to serve the nation. The fee directly for the President, I think it’s fair, I was actually advocating for more so that we do not have a bloated ballot paper,” he said.
Busha highlighted that he is not a career politician but a businessman with a track record of success and contrasted himself with other politicians, claiming that they rely on donor funding or taxpayer money to sustain their political careers.
He said the FreeZim Congress, is a genuine alternative to the ruling party, ZANU PF, and the opposition party, CCC led by Advocate Chamisa.
