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Zimbabwe activist hits back at critics who say he's in bed with Zanu-PF
Farai Shoko, Mail and Guardian (SA)
June 07, 2013

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Jealousy Mawarire says those criticising him were being malicious and were jealous of his successful court application to set an election date.

Jealousy Mawarire, the political activist who successfully took President Robert Mugabe to the Supreme Court to set an election date, is angry that he is viewed as fighting in Zanu-PF's corner in the push for early polls.

Last week, the court ordered Mugabe to proclaim dates for elections and ensure that they are held no later than July 31, a development vehemently opposed by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Welshman Ncube, the leaders of the Movement for Democratic Change.

Critics were swift to accuse Mawarire and his Centre for Elections and Democracy in Southern Africa of fronting for the ruling party in attempts to push for early elections.

Mawarire is also accused of being a mole, working closely with a Zanu-PF politburo member, Jonathan Moyo, who has been advocating June elections.

In an interview with the Mail & Guardian on Wednesday, Mawarire said his decision to take Mugabe to court was not political.

"You might as well have seen questions that people have been asking in the newspapers pertaining to when the elections would be held. That motivated me," he said.

A 'humble, law-abiding citizen'

Mawarire, who considers himself a "humble, law-abiding citizen", said those criticising him were being malicious and were jealous of his successful court application and the work of his nongovernmental organisation.

"I have problems when people think I function for another human being. The only being that uses me is God and any insinuation to the contrary is mischievous …

"If there is anyone who assisted me in making this decision, it is my wife and no one else," he said.

He refuted allegations that his organisation had strong links to Moyo, the former minister of information and publicity.

"We certainly don't employ Professor Moyo. He has not indicated he wanted to work for us. We think he has a much bigger role to play in his party than to seize himself with the work of our humble organisation."

Mawarire said his organisation was nonpartisan and had also worked with the MDC's Jameson Timba and Nelson Chamisa.

He said it was unfortunate that Tsvangirai and Ncube had sought to rubbish the judgment, and Tsvangirai had inadvertently shown his ignorance of Zimbabwe constitutional provisions.

"Tsvangirai's actions are disrespectful of our courts. He is an enemy of constitutionalism, which is fatal."

Ncube said the courts had no right to determine the date of the pending elections; it was the preserve of the executive.

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