Ezra 'Tshisa', Erick Knight quits active politics

MDC-T losing National Assembly candidates mee have withdrawn their electoral petitions at the Electoral Court, saying they now want to pull out of active politics and go back to their broadcasting careers, which they left years ago when they went to the United Kingdom.

Knight and Sibanda lost the Mbare and Vungu seats respectively to Zanu PF candidates in the July 31 polls which were marred by allegations of massive vote-rigging.

Knight is a former popular ZBC radio and TV presenter while Sibanda was a ZBC radio DJ.

In separate interviews, Knight and Sibanda said now that elections have come and gone, it was time to look to the future and help rebuild the country instead of concentrating on contentious political issues.

They said they were journalists by profession and not career politicians. The broadcasters said given that Zimbabwe would soon have many opportunities in the broadcasting sector following the ongoing digitalisation programme which will ensure that the country can accommodate several television and scores of radio stations, they feel they could contribute a lot in that sector.

Knight said: "I have realised that I am better off going back to my profession as a broadcaster so that I can serve the country and the public while focusing on national interest. I have, therefore, decided to concentrate more on my broadcasting career rather than on politics."

He added: "By profession I am a broadcaster; that is what I want to do. "I went into politics accidentally and now I want to go back into an area which I am passionate about. I think I can serve the nation better as a patriotic Zimbabwean in broadcasting."

Sibanda also said he now wants to concentrate more on his broadcasting career.

"I have withdrawn the court case and I am withdrawing from active politics because I believe it is time I retraced my footsteps in the media industry and go back to what I have always loved doing," he said.

"I did not go into politics to fight anyone or a political party, but I was simply trying to serve the people in my constituency and the country in general. The new government has promised to open up the broadcasting sector by offering new radio and television opportunities and I believe there is a lot we can do to develop the profession and the industry."

The duo once applied for a radio licence when the coalition government opened the sector last year, but only two licences for ZiFM Stereo and Star FM were approved. This was amid charges the licensing process lacked transparency as the two stations were allegedly aligned to Zanu PF.

The pair might be eyeing a return to ZBC. They have been encouraged by the appointment of Mduduzi Mathuthu as editor of The Chronicle by Jonathan Moyo