Interim party president Jacob Ngarivhume says the party will fight unconstitutional laws on both the legal and political fronts.
“we are preparing legal challenges at the Constitutional Court regarding the continued use of repressive legislation,” said Ngarivhume, who was recently arrested and spent three days in police custody for conducting unsanctioned party meetings in Gweru and Harare.
He attributed the harassment and arrest to Transform Zimbabwe’s popularity, which he said unsettled Zanu (PF) and state security agents. He urged the nation to unite in the fight against undemocratic practices that suppress people’s rights ahead of the 2018 elections.
“There is no way Mugabe or Tsvangirai will win the next elections, as people will have to choose the right candidate from a devil, a womaniser and a man of God,” he said.
“Unlike MDC, we will be strategic and have uncompromised benchmarks for free and fair elections in 2018. We will have enough membership to help neutralise any form of rigging,” said Ngarivhume, attributing the fall of MDC at the 2013 polls to lack of strategy and naive trust in Mugabe and Zanu (PF).
He blamed MDC for failing to take advantage of ‘clear SADC benchmarks for free and fair elections’. To avoid falling into the trap set for MDC by Zanu (PF), Ngarivhume vowed never to naively get into a coalition with any other political party without values.
“We want to restore the values of our struggle, our collective human dignity, the pursuit of equality, socio-economic justice, democracy and economic advancement,” Ngarivhume promised, urging people to shake off self-pity and take matters into their own hands.
“The country needs a new democratic culture of politics, strong and principled leadership, good governance and a strong and competitive economy driven by empowered citizens.
Zanu (PF) denied accusations that it was frustrating Transform Zimbabwe’s efforts to mobilise support and fully establish itself.
“Reports that Zanu (PF) is threatened by the party it does not know of is rubbish and hogwash,” said Rugare Gumbo, Zanu (PF) spokesperson. “If the police are arresting the party leadership for not informing them of meetings , they should simply follow laws of the land governing public gatherings,” he said.
Fact box
1. Transform Zimbabwe Party was born out of an interdenominational convention held in December 2013 under the auspices of Prayer Network Zimbabwe.
2. Its core values are creation of a value based system of leadership anchored on the pillars of integrity, transparency, honest and uprightness and build bridges between generations.
3. It believes that the already established political parties do not have what it takes to transform the country due to lack of political will.
4. Jacob Ngarivhume was born in Bikita and did secondary education in Mutare. He graduated with degrees in statistics and mathematics at the University of Zimbabwe.
5. A born-again Christian, Ngarivhume is founder and chairperson of the Voice for Democracy, a grassroots broad-based civic organisation founded in 2009.
7. He set up Prayer Network Zimbabwe, an interdenominational, cross cultural organisation whose mandate was to pray for the nation.
8. He is also a preacher of the word, motivational speaker and teacher who has given presentations on leadership and transformation at various institutions including Harvard University and several African and international platforms.
Post published in: News
I believe this is the time of the nation to dust its mess and elect a new party which will stand for the people of Zim .MDC and Zanu pf the have failed people of this nation .I think this God fearing party must take over in 2018 and leader the nation out of its mess.Those who are praying lets keep on praying for this nation and we want God to bring us good leaders who have the nation at heart ,who also fear him.
Someone should stand for the universal human rights of zimbabweans. thank you Jacob for standing boldly for us. Ramba wakadaro.
This guys Jacob is attracting me more and more. Can we have more info about him in the press all the time please. I read his interview in the Newsday and I was impressed! Keep it up man.
Ian Smith and the Rhodesian Front were the biggest bunch of so-called God-Fearing Christians in the land and God alone knows how many people black/white/brown chose to be baptized again and again because they were not convinced that their immersion/conversion into the country’s swimming pools, rivers and dams would save them from the first bullet heading their way. It was laughable and I always avoid any religious freaks who think that by capitalizing on the Bible will get them into power. “God helps us All,” as Ian Smith said at the end of his UDI speech, (I think it was that one?) although I totally didn’t believe in him either. And, as for Transform Zimbabwe calling on all Zimbabweans to defy sections of the Public Order and Security Act and other unconstitutional laws exploited by Zanu (PF) and state security agents to suppress legitimate activities? It sounds as though TF are heading in the same chaotic direction but it worked for IDS also, (0r, so he thought, although not for the rest of the country,)and even Mugabe then decided on the same line, and where are we now? Struggling to go forward with our lives. So, now? Now we have Transform Zimbabwe… And, TF is already telling the Nation to tell everyone to defy the rules which are the only thing stopping Zimbabwe evolving into further violent Anarchy. So which colonizers is TF going to tell go hang next? The Chinese? More suffering. Haven’t we had enough pain and suffering? In a game of tennis there are rules for a reason. But, if you buck the system you lose the game. Why not just play the game and pray you win in the end. Others played the game and focused on their studies and their dreams, and where are they now? Working on the Stock Exchange in New York or in The City of London. And, when they decide to come home they will have proved they have more brains than the rest of us put together and why? Because they’ve already proved it by having better jobs and more money than the rest of us. So, heads down and focus on your Education, no matter what age you are because that is what dreams are made of. And another tip. Learn to speak Arabic, Mandarin and Cantonese. Just so you are ready for whatever comes your way. Dream your own dreams. Not other dreams that don’t concern you.
Ian Smith and the Rhodesian Front were the biggest bunch of so-called God-Fearing Christians in the land and God alone knows how many people black/white/brown chose to be baptized again and again because they were not convinced that their immersion/conversion into the country’s swimming pools, rivers and dams would save them from the first bullet heading their way. It was laughable and I always avoid any religious freaks who think that by capitalizing on the Bible will get them into power. “God helps us All,” as Ian Smith said at the end of his UDI speech, (I think it was that one?) although I totally didn’t believe in him either. And, as for Transform Zimbabwe calling on all Zimbabweans to defy sections of the Public Order and Security Act and other unconstitutional laws exploited by Zanu (PF) and state security agents to suppress legitimate activities? It sounds as though TF are heading in the same chaotic direction but it worked for IDS also, (0r, so he thought, although not for the rest of the country,)and even Mugabe then decided on the same line, and where are we now? Struggling to go forward with our lives. So, now? Now we have Transform Zimbabwe… And, TF is already telling the Nation to tell everyone to defy the rules which are the only thing stopping Zimbabwe evolving into further violent Anarchy. So which colonizers is TF going to tell go hang next? The Chinese? More suffering. Haven’t we had enough pain and suffering? In a game of tennis there are rules for a reason. But, if you buck the system you lose the game. Why not just play the game and pray you win in the end. Others played the game and focused on their studies and their dreams, and where are they now? Working on the Stock Exchange in New York or in The City of London. And, when they decide to come home they will have proved they have more brains than the rest of us put together and why? Because they’ve already proved it by having better jobs and more money than the rest of us. So, heads down and focus on your Education, no matter what age you are because that is what dreams are made of. And another tip. Learn to speak Arabic, Mandarin and Cantonese. Just so you are ready for whatever comes your way. Dream your own dreams. Not other dreams that don’t concern you.