News / National
Mujuru defence 'spot on'
18 Nov 2014 at 11:48hrs | Views
Analysts yesterday said beleaguered Vice President Joice Mujuru-s statement against a slew of damning allegations, including corruption and a plot to assassinate President Robert Mugabe, has put the case to the court of public opinion.
This comes as the Zanu-PF number two has launched a spirited defence of her political and business life, and in which she has also said she is alive to the unconstitutional means to remove her from power - through the State media, and otherwise.
Pedzisai Ruhanya, a media and democracy scholar, said: "She (Mujuru) did it properly. She put the case to the court of public opinion. The court of Zanu-PF, public media, even the judiciary will muzzle her.
"That-s why she decided to go to the broader court of public opinion which is the people of Zimbabwe. That is why that letter was addressed to the people of Zimbabwe. The people of Zimbabwe know that she does not have the evil mind to assassinate the president," he said.
Dewa Mavhinga, the Human Rights Watch senior researcher, said the issues at hand were politically-motivated and her factional opponents may be angling to use the State judiciary system "to persecute her, and possibly push her to step down ahead of the Zanu-PF elective congress".
"Where such serious allegations are made, impartial and non-partisan police and other judicial bodies should carry out proper investigations away from the glare of the media and let the law take its course, but, as suspected all along, these criminal allegations appear driven by politics leaving VP Mujuru fighting for her political and literal life," Mavhinga said
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National Students Association Union (Zinasu) and analysts have dismissed Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (Zicosu) president Leopold Chakanyuka-s call for Mujuru to resign within 14 days as "idle talk" not worthy of attention.
"It-s a personal opinion but we as Zinasu, believe that when it comes to the Vice President of Zanu-PF it-s for the members and people who are aligned to Zanu-PF as a political party because we as students, especially Zinasu, are a serious organisation, we have more things to concentrate on rather than concentrate on illegitimate political squabbles," Gilbert Mutubuki, the Zinasu president said.
"We also believe… that the current president (Mugabe, Mujuru and all Cabinet ministers) should resign because they have failed. We want to urge all students nationwide to stay away from politics of political parties. They should not be used as political condoms by political parties," he added.
"We want to urge Zicosu and their president, and even the First Lady to stop abusing students in fighting their personal battles. We also want to say this to the citizens that students will only support a democratic person with student issues at heart."
On the other hand, Ruhanya, who is also a former student leader, said: "The vice president of the republic was not elected by bogus organisations such as Zicosu. The statement… does not deserve any attention of any serious citizens of this country.
"We know that Zicosu is a political appendage of the political cabal that is running riot in Zanu-PF. What they should understand is that Mujuru is not just a Zanu-PF leader, she is a national leader with impeccable liberation credentials," he added.
"She is one of the few women liberators of our liberation struggle. To criminalise such outstanding women in the history of State politics in Zimbabwe is to criminalise the significant role played by women in the struggle for independence," Ruhanya said.
"This is not simply about our country; it is about the nationhood of Zimbabwe. They (Zanu-PF) will not be able to re-write history. The history that we know is that Mujuru and the late general (Solomon) are authentic heroes of our country."
Mavhinga said Chakanyuka-s attacks on Mujuru were nothing, but factional.
"Instead of these fights, Zanu-PF supporters should be guided by their party constitution and regulations, and… respect the Constitution of Zimbabwe when it comes to handling of crime allegations and succession issues," he said.
This comes as the Zanu-PF number two has launched a spirited defence of her political and business life, and in which she has also said she is alive to the unconstitutional means to remove her from power - through the State media, and otherwise.
Pedzisai Ruhanya, a media and democracy scholar, said: "She (Mujuru) did it properly. She put the case to the court of public opinion. The court of Zanu-PF, public media, even the judiciary will muzzle her.
"That-s why she decided to go to the broader court of public opinion which is the people of Zimbabwe. That is why that letter was addressed to the people of Zimbabwe. The people of Zimbabwe know that she does not have the evil mind to assassinate the president," he said.
Dewa Mavhinga, the Human Rights Watch senior researcher, said the issues at hand were politically-motivated and her factional opponents may be angling to use the State judiciary system "to persecute her, and possibly push her to step down ahead of the Zanu-PF elective congress".
"Where such serious allegations are made, impartial and non-partisan police and other judicial bodies should carry out proper investigations away from the glare of the media and let the law take its course, but, as suspected all along, these criminal allegations appear driven by politics leaving VP Mujuru fighting for her political and literal life," Mavhinga said
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National Students Association Union (Zinasu) and analysts have dismissed Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (Zicosu) president Leopold Chakanyuka-s call for Mujuru to resign within 14 days as "idle talk" not worthy of attention.
"It-s a personal opinion but we as Zinasu, believe that when it comes to the Vice President of Zanu-PF it-s for the members and people who are aligned to Zanu-PF as a political party because we as students, especially Zinasu, are a serious organisation, we have more things to concentrate on rather than concentrate on illegitimate political squabbles," Gilbert Mutubuki, the Zinasu president said.
"We also believe… that the current president (Mugabe, Mujuru and all Cabinet ministers) should resign because they have failed. We want to urge all students nationwide to stay away from politics of political parties. They should not be used as political condoms by political parties," he added.
"We want to urge Zicosu and their president, and even the First Lady to stop abusing students in fighting their personal battles. We also want to say this to the citizens that students will only support a democratic person with student issues at heart."
On the other hand, Ruhanya, who is also a former student leader, said: "The vice president of the republic was not elected by bogus organisations such as Zicosu. The statement… does not deserve any attention of any serious citizens of this country.
"We know that Zicosu is a political appendage of the political cabal that is running riot in Zanu-PF. What they should understand is that Mujuru is not just a Zanu-PF leader, she is a national leader with impeccable liberation credentials," he added.
"She is one of the few women liberators of our liberation struggle. To criminalise such outstanding women in the history of State politics in Zimbabwe is to criminalise the significant role played by women in the struggle for independence," Ruhanya said.
"This is not simply about our country; it is about the nationhood of Zimbabwe. They (Zanu-PF) will not be able to re-write history. The history that we know is that Mujuru and the late general (Solomon) are authentic heroes of our country."
Mavhinga said Chakanyuka-s attacks on Mujuru were nothing, but factional.
"Instead of these fights, Zanu-PF supporters should be guided by their party constitution and regulations, and… respect the Constitution of Zimbabwe when it comes to handling of crime allegations and succession issues," he said.
Source - dailynews
