“A coalition government is not a perfect government because there are two or three parties involved. The objective of the parties involved will be to wrest power,” said Nanga. “The only way to put an end to that is to go to the people and let them choose. The GNU in Zimbabwe has brought some economic stability and a peaceful environment but the truth of the matter is that they could have done a lot better in terms of economic development were it not for the bickering.”
Nanga said the forthcoming elections were critical for Zimbabwe hence the need to ensure they are held in the most peaceful, transparent and credible manner. He said political parties set to contest in the next elections should be able to show respect for the people’s will.
“The people are going to make their choice and whatever choice they make, the political parties should respect it. It’s likely that one party will win and whoever loses should be able to congratulate the winner,” said Nanga.
He said the DRC would be sending its observers to Zimbabwe for the elections.
In terms of Zimbabwe’s preparedness for elections, Nanga said: “No country, not even the USA or Britain is 100 percent prepared for an election. In Zimbabwe, the situation is much better than it was in 2008 but the country can still do better.”
There is contention in Zimbabwe’s GNU with the two MDC formations arguing that the country is not yet prepared to hold a free and fair poll as important reforms are yet to be implemented.
He said that although some developments were threatening the peaceful holding of the elections, parties in the GNU should devote their energy to creating an environment that allows for “peaceful, free, fair, transparent and credible elections”.
The run up to Zimbabwe’s watershed elections has seen arrests of several civic society members as well as staff from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s office. The MDC-T claims that its supporters are being harassed in rural areas in a development that analysts say will likely stand in the way of a free and fair poll.
Nanga said it was important for the government to ensure that proceeds from the country’s mineral wealth benefited the ordinary people.
“This is the policy line followed by the DRC since time immemorial that the natural resources of the country should first and foremost benefit our people,” said Nanga.
He said that the lack of a direct flight between the DRC and Zimbabwe was negatively affecting trade between the two countries.
“Right now, we don’t have a direct flight between Zimbabwe and DRC and that is not very good. We have free movement of people between our countries but no direct link,” said Nanga.
Nanga said that Zimbabwe’s involvement in the DRC conflict would greatly aid efforts to bring peace and stability to the war torn Central African country.
“The UN deployed a brigade made mostly of SADC forces and if it was the DRC’s choice as to who should join the brigade, we would have requested Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia,” said Nanga.
Zimbabwe deployed troops to the DRC in 1998 to help the government of the late Laurent-Desire Kabila which was under siege from Rwanda and Uganda backed rebels.
Post published in: News