The former Minister of Information in Zimbabwe, Jonathan Moyo, says the judiciary in that country must not make judgments based on the political climate.
Moyo spoke to SABC News about the continued incarceration of the Member of Parliament (MP), Job Sikhala. Moyo says the opposition is weak ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe in August.
He has also defended the controversial Patriotic Bill that was recently passed by parliament in Zimbabwe. Opposition parties and human rights activists say the bill is aimed at silencing those who criticised the Zimbabwean government.
“I certainly have reconciled myself first and foremost. You know if you follow the discourse in Zimbabwe you get people saying, “oh you were out smarted by means which guns were out”. I imagine a situation where certainly myself but what I know and those others of my colleagues who were caught up in this situation the possibility of contemplating the use of violence to defend the political interest even as we saw what was happening; is completely out of the question.”
Concerns expressed
Moyo was extremely critical of the current ZANU PF leadership after the removal of president Robert Mugabe in 2017. However, it looks like he has since toned down. As the country is preparing for elections, Moyo has expressed his concerns over the arrest of the opposition MP Sikhala.
“For a person to be in detention for one year. I don’t speak well of anyone of us as Zimbabweans but in particular those who are in authority. Then specifically of the judiciary. You don’t want to be in a country where the courts become an extension of the politics of the day. This is what I think is bit scary, alarming about the current developments if you look at that.”
On the Patriotic Bill that has been condemned by opposition parties and human rights activists, Moyo says the criticism is misplaced.
“It is about addressing a mischief of Zimbabweans working with foreigners not among themselves but working with foreigners to seek to overthrow the government. Working with foreigners to seek to have those foreign countries impose sanctions on Zimbabwe. It is about that. It is not about dealing with mischief you find in our neigbouring countries.”
Moyo, is not about to go home soon.
“The possibility of me going back to Zimbabwe before 23 August 2023 is zero. It is not even in the cards.”
Zimbabwe will hold Presidential and Parliamentary elections on 23 August.
Zimbabwe to hold presidential, parliamentary elections on August 23: Brian Sedze
