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Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]
FORMER Bulawayo South constituency aspiring opposition candidate, Engineer Francis Mangwendeza, has slammed dictatorial tendencies within opposition parties formerly led by Nelson Chamisa while describing Zanu-PF under President Mnangagwa as the best bet to achieving democracy.

Eng Mangwendeza was a victim of double candidature in the 2018 polls when the MDC Alliance fielded candidates. In the 2023 elections his name was touted to be among those who were supposed to contest under the Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) but the chaotic candidates selection left him disappointed as he was sidelined from the party list.

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC)

In a recent interview, Eng Mangwendeza said it was not surprising that the opposition experienced a lot of chaos, which culminated in interim CCC secretary general, Mr Sengenzo Tshabangu, engineering recalls last year. Following a series of recalls, Mr Chamisa then abandoned his political projects.

“What I have since experienced within the opposition politics is rather disappointing in terms of the aim that I have to make democracy flourish.

“If you are going to build a democratic discourse you have to be seen to be democratic yourself,” he said.

“Charity begins at home and if within your own political party you don’t practice democratic principles, you are most likely to end up with a dictator because you are dictating a lot within your own party,” said Eng Mangwendeza.

“This is part of the frustrations that I faced within opposition politics and it has led me to step aside from politics, opposition politics as it were. I don’t believe we were heading towards a democratic disposition. We were heading towards dictatorship because of the tendencies within the party at that stage.”
He alluded to the chaotic candidate selection process saying the interference from senior party members was destroying democratic principles within the opposition.

“If you go and state that we are going to do a democratic exercise to select our candidates and you go through that and certain candidates emerge whether you like them or not, it is a democratic process.

“So, then go back and say I don’t like this one and we shall put this one. You have to be principled. I think that is one of the lessons that we probably should keep from our liberation movements. Our leaders were very principled. So, we have to be principled in everything that we do,” said Eng Mangwendeza.

“That is why I’m suggesting that we might not be heading on the right democratic path. Given the scenario of the politics that are happening around the country, I think our best chance of improving our democratic space is from within Zanu-PF.”
Eng Mangwendeza said it was confidence building that President Mnangagwa has stated that he would be stepping down at the end of his term.

“The President has said he is going to step down, which is a huge democratic step in Zimbabwe. If he steps down and the next person is up, we are establishing a democratic space, which is what we always want.

“We have seen it with Zambia, Botswana and South Africa as our neighbours,” said Eng Mangwendeza.
He commended the Government for being apolitical in the awarding of tenders, saying despite his involvement in opposition politics, his company’s competency has enabled him to win major infrastructure development projects.

Eng Mangwendeza, is the founder and chief executive of Asphalt Products, a Bulawayo-based company involved in the construction of civil works in the country.

“I think the Government is looking for specialists in what you do. If you are able to provide a competent service I don’t think the Government will consider if you are coming from this political party or another.

“I’m using my own example that we have participated in Government projects in spite of the fact that I was involved in opposition politics,” said Eng Mangwendenza. — @nqotshili