Ndiweni says time had come for Zimbabweans to decide the country's future

DETHRONED Ntabazinduna traditional leader Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni has challenged voters, particularly those who support opposition parties, to vote, guard and protect their votes at polling stations until results are announced to prevent rigging.

Ndiweni, who was removed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government in 2019 before he went into self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom, believes the ruling Zanu-PF party rigged the 2018 elections to defeat then MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa.

Chamisa lost to Mnangagwa in the disputed 2018 polls whose outcome had to be decided by the Constitutional Court.

Ndiweni is a staunch government critic and continues to accuse it of mis-governance and massive human rights violations.

In a video seen by Southern Eye, Ndiweni said time had come for Zimbabweans to decide the country's future.

"This year's elections are more important than all the other elections we have held. I know that most of you are tired and have lost hope in the elections, but the advice from me is go out and vote in your numbers," said Ndiweni in the video.

"Even after voting do not leave, stay around the polling stations to protect your vote, if you leave it alone it will disappear. Do not leave until the votes are counted and it's revealed who won at that polling station.

"This is the mother and the father of all elections in Zimbabwe. If you are looking for a better future, vote; if you want jobs, vote; if you are looking for a better future, vote; if you want your healthcare (system) to work, vote; but not only that, protect that vote after voting," he said.

In May this year, Ndiweni predicted an exodus of Zimbabweans if Zanu-PF steals tomorrow's ballot.

"If the Zanu-PF government once again steals these elections, we will see about two million Zimbabweans packing their bags and going to South Africa, experts say, the biggest movement of people we have seen in the Southern African Development Community in our age. This movement will occur legally and illegally," Ndiweni said back in May.

Through his pressure group, MyRight2Vote, Ndiweni has been calling for the diaspora vote to no avail.

The ruling Zanu-PF through its secretary for finance Patrick Chinamasa recently said it would consider diaspora votes if targeted sanctions on Zimbabwe were removed.

Ndiweni has, instead, been calling for diasporas to be allowed to unconditionally vote because citizens based outside Zimbabwe are the ones keeping the country running through remittances amounting to over US$1 billion annually.

He has since submitted a petition to the United Kingdom government to escalate his concerns over the Zimbabwean government's violation of people's rights.

Ndiweni said the opposition would undoubtedly win the elections this year and the Zanu-PF government would seek to retain power through the gun.

"I am 100% certain that the opposition will win the election this year. I am also 100% certain that the ruling Zanu-PF will try to retain power through the use of arms. These two things will happen without a shadow of doubt," he said.