News / National
Nkosana Moyo shrugs off questions on Gukurahundi
30 Jun 2017 at 03:25hrs | Views
Former Industry and International Trade Minister and Zimbabwe presidential aspirant, Dr Nkosana Moyo yesterday shrugged off questions on the Matabeleland disturbances that occurred shortly after independence.
Moyo told journalists at a Press briefing in Harare yesterday Zimbabweans needed to move forward and begin to construct a better future "than concentrate on trying to reconstruct a dark past, which will deprive us of the time to build a beautiful future".
"I am not in any way trying to belittle the pain our people have gone through in these episodes, but I just think in my humble opinion we need to direct our energies in building a future than reconstructing the past," he said.
Moyo denied ever being a member of the ruling Zanu-PF party, saying even though he had served as a cabinet minister, he had remained independent.
"I have never been a part of Zanu-PF and so let it be clear, I'm not a Zanu-PF project. I left government because they were doing things wrong," he said.
An economist, Moyo cast doubt on going into coalitions, saying they may not work. "If I take a litre of petrol and a litre of water, I may end up with something that is unusable."
Moyo left government in a huff in 2001 after being appointed Industry minister in a government then styled "war Cabinet" by Mugabe established at the height of the land reform programme, with the President famously accusing him of cowardly quitting by fax from South Africa.
Mugabe said he wanted "amadoda sibili" (real men), not quitters, but Moyo has set the record straight, saying he personally handed over his resignation to the veteran ruler and did not quit by fax as alleged.
The former Cabinet minister said he has consulted with Zimbabweans at home and abroad before making the decision to contest in next year's elections.
Moyo said Mugabe had run his race and handing over the baton was long overdue.
"President Mugabe has run his race. We must respect him for his contributions to the country," he said.
"He has made mistakes, but we need to persuade him for the sake of us all that it is time he passes on the baton to someone else.
"In a relay all four runners need to understand that the discipline of handing over the baton is meant to make sure the team wins.
"It is indiscipline that automatically results in the loss of the team to refuse to hand over the baton.
"Staying with Mugabe would have been a sign of cowardice because I did not agree with the wrong way they were doing things."
Moyo told journalists at a Press briefing in Harare yesterday Zimbabweans needed to move forward and begin to construct a better future "than concentrate on trying to reconstruct a dark past, which will deprive us of the time to build a beautiful future".
"I am not in any way trying to belittle the pain our people have gone through in these episodes, but I just think in my humble opinion we need to direct our energies in building a future than reconstructing the past," he said.
Moyo denied ever being a member of the ruling Zanu-PF party, saying even though he had served as a cabinet minister, he had remained independent.
"I have never been a part of Zanu-PF and so let it be clear, I'm not a Zanu-PF project. I left government because they were doing things wrong," he said.
An economist, Moyo cast doubt on going into coalitions, saying they may not work. "If I take a litre of petrol and a litre of water, I may end up with something that is unusable."
Moyo left government in a huff in 2001 after being appointed Industry minister in a government then styled "war Cabinet" by Mugabe established at the height of the land reform programme, with the President famously accusing him of cowardly quitting by fax from South Africa.
The former Cabinet minister said he has consulted with Zimbabweans at home and abroad before making the decision to contest in next year's elections.
Moyo said Mugabe had run his race and handing over the baton was long overdue.
"President Mugabe has run his race. We must respect him for his contributions to the country," he said.
"He has made mistakes, but we need to persuade him for the sake of us all that it is time he passes on the baton to someone else.
"In a relay all four runners need to understand that the discipline of handing over the baton is meant to make sure the team wins.
"It is indiscipline that automatically results in the loss of the team to refuse to hand over the baton.
"Staying with Mugabe would have been a sign of cowardice because I did not agree with the wrong way they were doing things."
Source - online
