Polad kicks out Mnangagwa critic

PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Peter Munyanduri has been kicked out of the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) for criticising President Emmerson Mnangagwa's handling of the March 26 by-elections.

Mnangagwa created Polad soon after the 2018 elections, a vehicle through which he regularly interacts with the losing presidential hopefuls.

In 2021, Mnangagwa pampered Polad principals with hefty allowances and Isuzu D-Max double-cab vehicles to buy their loyalty to the new dispensation.

But Munyanduri, who is the leader of New Innovative Modernisation Front, said his vehicle had been seized by the State for criticising Mnangagwa.

"My conscience won't allow me to keep quiet when I see something is wrong. I raised the issues of unfair electoral playing ground. I questioned the issue of rigging. There is unfair coverage of political parties. I also raised the issue of funding. Small parties do not get any funding. I was expelled for that," Munyanduri said.

"They took the car they gave me. I do not regret my decision to advocate for free and fair election."

But Polad head of secretariat Virginia Mabiza said Munyanduri was expelled for not attending meetings.

"Engineer Munyanduri is being untruthful. He was not expelled for raising issues to do with the election. Those are baseless accusations. He was expelled for not attending meetings. The car was given to a member of his party," she said.