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'Defence University could sideline opposition members'
11 Mar 2016 at 07:32hrs | Views
MDC-T senator Morgan Komichi has expressed concerns that the Defence University which is expected to also enrol the house of assembly members might sideline the opposition MDC members.
Komichi said the motion that MPs must also be enabled to enhance their skills and knowledge through the defence college was a good move but expressed reservations that the MDC MPs might not be enrolled in the college and those trained at the college might be used as very skilled people in rigging the elections on behalf of the ruling Zanu PF.
"This is a very good idea and I want to say a few things because in English we say, 'once beaten twice shy'. We would like the Minister (defence) to qualify on the entrance qualifications for the students," Komichi said.
"Are they going to include the students looking at their political backgrounds or whatever it is and will it not involve partisan politics that if you belong to MDC, you will not be registered at this college? We would also want to know whether this college is not going to be used as a centre for destroying opposition parties in this country. Are we not going to implement the Korean style type of dictatorship where the opposition does not survive in that type of climate?"
He said as people who are in the opposition, they were aimed at promoting democracy in the country and want people to be free.
"Is this college not going to work on ways and means of rigging elections so that when it is done by educated people, there is going to be a subtle way of rigging elections? Hence, we need to get some clarity on the *modus operandi *of this institute of higher learning," he said.
Komichi said the motion that MPs must also be enabled to enhance their skills and knowledge through the defence college was a good move but expressed reservations that the MDC MPs might not be enrolled in the college and those trained at the college might be used as very skilled people in rigging the elections on behalf of the ruling Zanu PF.
"This is a very good idea and I want to say a few things because in English we say, 'once beaten twice shy'. We would like the Minister (defence) to qualify on the entrance qualifications for the students," Komichi said.
He said as people who are in the opposition, they were aimed at promoting democracy in the country and want people to be free.
"Is this college not going to work on ways and means of rigging elections so that when it is done by educated people, there is going to be a subtle way of rigging elections? Hence, we need to get some clarity on the *modus operandi *of this institute of higher learning," he said.
Source - Byo24News
