Botswana-based cleric joins presidential race

BOTSWANA-BASED Zimbabwean church leader, Emmanuel Moyana, has thrown his hat into this year's presidential race and will today launch his Multi-People's Democratic Party (MPDP) in Harare.

Moyana claimed his party was planning to fill in the vacuum created by big parties that have deviated from people-based issues.

Moyana, leader of the Emmanuel Embassy Ministries International based in Botswana, said he was formerly a member of the MDC-T, but failed to agree on issues the opposition party was now focusing on.

He said they were forced to launch a party because no-one was talking about the basic issues which affect the generality of the public.

"We decided to launch this party to fill in the gap that is there within the political landscape," Moyana said.

"As a party we are going to push forward and address critical issues that most parties are ignoring at this current stage. Zimbabwe is going through a very difficult stage and we feel that a third force is required to make sure that activities that are not addressed will be attended to.

"We have realised that most political parties are talking about very big projects, they are very ambitious but they are ignoring bread and butter issues like education, health, employment, issues of property rights and others that will lift Zimbabwe from where it is right now."

Moyana said there was need to build investor confidence.

He said as a church-backed party, they shun corruption and their focus is on fighting the vice.

"We believe religion should be part and parcel of the goings on in every nation to make sure that the country is protected from every arrow of the wicked. As a party we believe that if we involve the church in planning on issues affecting the nation, and we believe this will bring positive results for the nation," the MPDP leader said.