Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, has shot down claims that the current President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his new government got power through a “military coup,” arguing that former President Robert Mugabe’s resignation was debated in Parliament.
Responding to People’s Democratic Party PDP Spokesperson, Jacob Mafume’s remarks on Capitalk Radio show that the current government is a product of a military coup, Ziyambi said the parliamentary process to impeach former President Robert Mugabe led to his resignation.
“Former President Robert Mugabe, who recently publicly made comments about his ouster in November last year, described the development as a “…coup d’état. It was truly a military takeover,” said Mafume.
But Ziyambi responded saying, “The current regime did not get into power through a military operation. There was a parliamentary process that was started and supported with parties in Parliament.”
Mafume insisted that the opposition will not take part in the next elections without reforms.
“There will be no election if there are no reforms. We will not be part of a process were we are going to enter into the coronation of a military action that was done seven months ago. We will not be the icing on the cake for what is a window dressing process. They came in with a platform of reforms,” Mafume said.
Electoral reforms remains a hot potato in Zimbabwe with the opposition political parties and Civil Society Organisations calling for the alignment of the Constitution and the Electoral Act for Zimbabwe to hold free, fair and credible elections.
However, the government seem to have adopted a snail pace on the issue.
Speaking during the same radio show, sponsored by Election Resource Centre, European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Phillipe Van Damme said time is flying for electoral reforms to be implemented.
“We are running out of time that’s clear,” Van Damme said, adding that the constitution must be respected.
“…make a plea a formal plea for peaceful elections. Those that have been accused in the past for not being neutral were they were supposed to be neutral…also stand up and make a formal public plea for all the others that they will respect the constitutional obligations,” Van Damme said.
