Electing military backed leader detrimental to the nation - political scientist

A political scientist, Dr Crispen Karanda, has warned that electing a military backed government in this year's elections in Zimbabwe will lead to successive military governments thereafter.

Citing a series of military coups in Nigeria since the 70s, Dr Karanda warned that electing President Mnangagwa - put in power by the military last November - would create a perpetual problem for Zimbabwe.

Dr Karanda was addressing aspiring Peoples Rainbow Coalition parliamentary and senate candidates at a summit in Gweru today.

Dr Karanda, who is a NEC member for NPP, one of the four PRC member partiies, stressed that he was speaking as "an academic, without fear or favour".

"The freedom fighters who fought Ian Smith are now in power and control. We only have two choices: choose a leader who is not going to push for a continous freedom fighters' government, and is prepared to bring about progression in civil governance. And that leader is Dr Joice Mujuru," Dr declared said.

He cited the case of Liberia where former president Ellen Johnson supported strongman Charles Taylor before becoming president herself, and reformed the country.

"Today a former footballer, George Weah is president of Liberia. We need in Zimbabwe someone who will take us over right across, like Ellen Johnson did in Liberia," he added.

He said Dr Mujuru had the required clout and credentials to take over power if she won, and the will to reform Zimbabwe into a civil state.

"When Morgan Tsvangirai won elections in 2008 what did he do?," he asked, to which the 500-strong delegates responded, "he (Tsvangirai) ran away to Botswana".

"This is our only opportunity to choose someone who will win and take over, and allow someone who is not a freedom fighter to take over after her. And that person is Dr Mujuru," Dr Karanda explained.

He said voting for a candidate backed by the military was "dangerous" as this would create the "Nigeria syndrome" of military rulers succeeding each other or toppling civilian governmnents within months of being elected.

"What Zimbabwe can run out of is war veterans, but the moment you allow the military to take over you will never run out of the military," Dr Karanda warned in his absorbing and thought provoking  presentation, attended by PRC presidential candidate Dr Joice Mujuru and other senior members.

Coming to coalitions, Dr Karanda warned individual parties against "relaxing" but to work hard independently to support whoever will be candidate for the presidential, general and local council poll.

Another academic, Professor Philani Moyo said president Mnangagwa assumed power through "uncostitutional means" and had so far shown that he was no different from Mugabe.

"They are very good in doing one thing: saying nice things only but no practical action to follow up their talking. They are very bad in coming up with tangible practical implementation. They are very good in promising and saying the same things over and over again. Over the last two decades they have been promising to solve the water problems in Byo and Matabeleland by always claiming to be about to connect the city to the Zambezi river," Prof Moyo said.

He said the PRC must counter this by pointing out these failures.

"This time around they are also promising to build a dam in Insiza. That is a gimmick  This they do every election year," he added.