Kick out opposition councils, President urges supporters

Harare (New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Friday that next month’s general elections presented the electorate with an opportunity to vote out under-performing opposition local government officials in Harare province, and elsewhere in the country.

Zimbabwe will hold combined presidential, parliamentary and local government elections on August 23.

Addressing an election rally in Harare, President Mnangagwa said the ruling Zanu PF party should win more council seats in Harare province to bring back development and corruption-free administration.

“Most of our towns are in the hands of the opposition. Garbage is not collected, sewage is always bursting. This time, kick them out. Kick them out through the vote, that’s a democratic process. If you cannot deliver, you get removed by a vote. Those who can do the work, will be voted in,” he said.

“Go out in your numbers to vote on August 23. Kick them out through the vote, that’s a democratic process. On the 24th of August we want them to sleep with their shoes on,” he added.

President Mnangagwa said: “We have only one seat in Harare. This time we want more seats so that we can fix the service delivery challenges in this city.”

He warned foreign election observers to stick to their mandate, and refrain from interfering in the country’s electoral processes.

Often, western observers get entangled in Zimbabwe’s electoral processes on the side of the opposition, which their countries partly finance.

“This interference from outside is unacceptable. We have the sovereign right to run our elections. Those countries who want to observe must restrict themselves to the role of observing our elections not to interfere with that process. We will not accept it,” President Mnangagwa said.

“After all, they have elections full of fault in their countries. We are highly qualified to teach them democracy, so they must learn from us,” he said.

He reiterated his call against political violence during the campaign period, on voting day and afterwards.

“We are against violence. Let us have this peace before, during and after elections. We need peace and harmony,” he said.

Speaking at the same event, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga urged supporters to vote for President Mnangagwa and Zanu PF members of Parliament and councillors.

“Harare lets go and vote, just three Xs on President Mnangagwa, your MP and councillor. We will kick the dirtiness out of Harare,” he said.

New Ziana