CHANTEL TAKUDZWA ZAMBUKIRA
POLITICS REPORTER
Political analyst Effie Ncube and exiled Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni have taken a swipe at Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo for recently urging President Emerson Mnangagwa to use his power to encumbrance to win the next coming election fair or by foul means.
“You cannot be in power and lose an election, use the power you have to win elections. The opposition may make noise and say whatever but when you are in power you cannot lose an election. Make sure you win the elections,” said Nguema to President Emerson Mnangagwa.
Political analyst Effie Ncube said judging from how President E.D Mnangagwa seems to be warming up to the Equatorial Guinea President’s advice, there is no chance of the country to holding free and fair elections.
“It is not surprising the Equatorial Guinea President would advise against a free and fair election because he has never been ushered into office through one. There has never been a free and fair election election in the history of that country. Unfortunately for President Mnangagwa he is subject to the Zimbabwean Constitution and laws and not those of Equatorial Guinea. Our Constitution and laws require a free and fair election. But, that said, I expect that the coming election is not going to be free and fair because of an embedded culture of rigged elections. There was never a commitment to democratic elections even before the Equatorial Guinea President gave that advice. With or without such advice, Zimbabwe, under the current leaders, cannot hold a credible election,” said Ncube.
President Emerson Mnangagwa is said to have giggled like a teenager going on a first date when he heard that. Chief Ndiweni speaking from his base in exile said if Mnangagwa loves his people he should not listen to advise from a despot like Nguema.
“Without doubt, the whole delimitation process has been that it has been essentially rigging the 2023 elections because if we follow the footsteps of this process of how it is that that we’ve come to this juncture, it begins way back right there at the beginning of census which was rigged. We cannot have ZANU-PF people conduct census No!, that is completely unacceptable because those figures are now rigged. As Zimbabweans we have a number of choices to make and that is to surrender and say we cannot do anything about it, ZANU-PF can continue ruling for the next forty three years. Another option is that Zimbabweans stand up and say we are going to challenge this not in the courts of Zimbabwe because they are captured, it can be taken to the International rhythm where there is no partiality,” said Ndiweni.
“Equatorial Guinea and it’s President is already in hot water with the Regional body of West Africa, therefore, common sense should tell anybody that they should not listen to any advise coming from Equatorial Guinea President. On the same note, manipulating elections in a party’s favour is the definition of rigging, there is no other definition in the Oxford Dictionary,” Ndiweni said.
Equatorial Guinea is a Dominant Party State, this means that only one Political Party, the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea is in fact allowed to hold effective power. Although minor parties are allowed, they are required to accept the de facto leadership of the ruling party.