Norton-An outspoken Zimbabwean politician and current independent Member of Parliament for Norton Constituency, Themba Mliswa, has blasted women in politics for failing to deliver tangible results and also not excersizing their power in the house of assembly by coming across as ‘bench-warmers’.
Speaking at the coalition of independent parties in Zimbabwe ahead of the impending harmonized elections held at the Zimbabwean Election Support Network (ZESN) which was attended by various stakeholders, Mliswa had this to say, “Most PR, members of Parliament that came through the 60 free seats are failing to speak on their voce to change the political situation in Zimbabwe, the only thing which is changing is their make ups, hairstyle as well as their beauty too.”
He also defend himself as an independent candidate, “I enjoy representing people, speaking about justice and I want to depart from a weeping system where you spent most of your time attending party meetings which do not yield anything. I believe in people’s politics, people matters the most,’ said Mliswa.
His sentiments spilled beans as Jessie Majome an independent candidate for Harare west, who castigates that women contribute a lot in politics only that they were few in the house of assembly.
“I encourage women in parliament to raise their voice and have confidence as well the issue of proportion is denigrating the diversity of young generation because some women in ZANU PF have been overstaying and they are still in the race for 2018 elections,” said Majome.
She also posits that, “If you vote for someone who has 20 years in parliament you have a problem you should believe of a new candidate who is clean from the messy of corruption.”
Duduzile Nyirongo who is also an aspiring independent young lady for Mt Pleasant in Harare ward 7 said that politics is not the game of numbers, “In terms of crying that women are few in politics does not yield anything what is needed is full of competence, Women with the capacity to deliver are not supported, we should groom young women so that they will be able to deliver appropriately.”
Margarrete Dongo who was the first female politician to challenge former President Robert Mugabe in the late 1998 also echoed the same sentiments as she narrated the reasons of isolating herself from ZANU PF as well castigates the new dispensation of Emmerson Mnanganwa as nothing new because she was already fighting corruption.
“It was not my choice but of people’s choice to become an independent because I have pressure from my people of my constitution to represent them since there were fade by the tyranny rule of the former government because nepotism and corruption was the order if the day.
“The moment I came as an independent candidate, some people said, I am critical but I am trying to bring justice thereby you end up offending others. I’m the first to be elected as an independent in parliament but I did not enjoy my political position, because political parties are full of abuses, she said.
Another female candidate for Bulawayo South who is an inspring MP Vimbainashe Musvaburi also castigates Mliswa’s sentiments that women have nothing to offer in their constituencies as she said that, “ I was part of those who were waiting for 2000 jobs, money in banks which was promised by ZANU PF and I have seen that they have failed so I am there to deliver infrastructure development as well as empowering youth within my constituency.
The conference was also attended by an Independent candidate Dr Nkosana Moyo leader of Alliance for People’s Agenda (APA) who highlighted that, “Most MPs and counsillors do not know their main responsibility of representing people and we should learn from the voice of people whom we are representing.”
