Staff ReporterFORMER industry and commerce minister Dr Nkosana Moyo will challenge President Robert Mugabe for the presidency in next year’s general elections.
Once called a coward by Mugabe, the ex-African Development Bank director and Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS) founder launched his campaign in Harare Thursday.
Moyo, who has PhD in Physics from the University of London, will be backed by what he called the Alliance of the People’s Agenda (APA).
Addressing journalists in the capital, Moyo said his decision to run for president was in response to calls from Zimbabweans as well as his concern over the country’s deteriorating economic situation.
“My decision whether to run or not in the upcoming harmonised elections next year is based on the state of the economy, the relationship of trust between government, national institutions and the citizens that I believe has broken down and the nation, which is badly divided,” he said.
“On account of these things, I have come to the conclusion that, I must heed the call to run for the office of President of Zimbabwe.
“This call is coming from diverse Zimbabweans and you may be surprised to learn that the people making this call include members of virtually all the political formations and those who do not belong to any political party.”
He added; “I believe time has come for all us to say enough is enough. It is now time for us to imagine a different way of doing things and creating a new Zimbabwe.
“Many of those who are younger than 35 years of age in this country have not known anything else other than this abnormal situation
“We are Zimbabweans! We are clearly looking for a government that puts the interests and well-being of citizens above else.
Moyo was one of the technocrats Mugabe appointed to Cabinet from outside his Zanu PF party in 2000. But the physicist quit a year later, condemning the veteran leader’s policies.
An unimpressed Mugabe dismissed him as a “spineless”, remarking that; “I do not want ministers who are in the habit of running away.
“I want those I can call amadoda sibili (real men), people with spine. Our revolution . . . was not fought by cowards. If some of you are getting weak-kneed, tell us and we will continue with the struggle.”
