Harare – Ousted former Zimbabwe President – Robert Mugabe is still eligible to contest the 2018 elections, since he served one term, befo...
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Harare – Ousted former Zimbabwe President – Robert Mugabe is still eligible to contest the 2018 elections, since he served one term, before he was dispossessed by the army.
Though his chances of returning to mainstream politics remain remote after presiding over the country for nearly four decades in a ruinous fashion – the Constitution permits the former statesman to contest the forthcoming plebiscite.Mugabe will be 94 on February 21 – four months before the scheduled watershed elections.
“The President and Vice-Presidents, and any former President or Vice President, must not, directly or indirectly, hold any other public office or be employed by anyone else while they are in office or are receiving a pension from the State as former President or Vice President, as the case may be, ” section 103 of the Constitution says.
“Former President Mugabe served one term and he can still contest an election although I don’t see that happening. He still enjoys his rights to take part in any political process; the law is very clear on that,” Constitutional law expert Professor Lovemore Madhuku explained.
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| Mugabe will Turn 94 in February |
However, Mugabe’s return to politics could send the wrong signal to Emmerson Mnangagwa who had promised to secure his future, with a lucrative package – including medical checkups abroad.
Mugabe’s intentions have surfaced after his meeting with ousted vice president – Joice Mujuru. During the secretive reunion, Mugabe is believed to have apologised to Mujuru for firing her – at the instigation of Mnangagwa – and advised her to rope in former G40 stalwarts to form a new party – New Patriotic Front’
The proposed names include exiled Jonathan Moyo, Patrick Zhuwao, Edgar Mbwembwe and Paddy Zhanda, among others – while Grace Mugabe’s name has been touted as possible frontrunner.
“I went to speak to (Cde Mugabe). . . He invited me there himself. If you were to be invited by VaMugabe would you say no?” Mujuru told a US media outlet.
Sources quoted by the Sunday Mail insinuate that, “The initial plan was to have Grace lead the party, but then the name Joice Mujuru came up as a compromise because Grace’s political activities are still fresh in the minds of the nation.
The informer added, “‘New Patriotic Front’ has been brandished as a possible brand because the idea is to make it appear that this project is indigenous and Pan-African.
Players within the proposed new party have however denied the allegations, while Godwin Mureriwa – a political expert believes Mugabe is out of ideas.
“Mugabe engaging Mujuru is a sign of desperation. He is trying to seek relevance and also trying to use tribal Zezuru politics but Zimbabweans are not that foolish. What Mugabe must know is that Zimbabweans are tired of him and nobody wants him to be involved in our politics again.”
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