Harare lawyer and political activist Fadzai Mahere says she will run for Parliament in next year's general elections as an independent candidate, targeting a seat currently held by the ruling Zanu PF party.
The social media campaigner and human rights attorney said, as an ordinary Zimbabwean confronted by a government that is unwilling to reform, she had decided to stand up and be counted.
She intends to contest Mt Pleasant constituency in the capital which is currently held by Zanu PF's Jasson Passade.
Addressing a handful of supporters at Mt Pleasant Community Hall Wednesday, Mahere said; "My decision to run for MP has not been easy but has come out of the realisation that we need more voices within Parliament that talk about issues that are affecting us every day.
"It's clear to me now that Zimbabwe's future cannot be bought from the side-lines. It's time for a new generation of public servants to arise, a generation that understand that leadership means services not a privilege."
A member of #ThisFlag social media activist movement and University of Zimbabwe law lecturer, Mahere added; "It is against this background that today I am announcing my intention to run as an independent candidate for Mt Pleasant constituency.
"The frustrations of burning waste, road blocks, and dangerous potholes among many others have also affected me directly.
"The time has come for me to channel my energies into my community and I hope it will be a small contribution to changing our nation."
She also talked about what she described as her "path in activism".
"On this path, we have to help one another raise our voice into a roll, to speak out, ask questions and to act and find solutions for our future," she said.
"Along this journey, we brought friendships, found common purpose disagreed, protested, argued and even been arrested for seating peaceful in the park."
She added, "The more we sort answers, the more we realised that there was no one willing to give them.
"Our government is asleep and our parliamentarians have largely been incapable of representing the best interest of the citizens.
"Spending the entire year without saying a single word; how can you represent the concerns of citizens when you never stand up to be counted?"
Mahere also said she was pained to watch "dubious legislation being passed in parliament without civic engagement".
"Citizens have been largely forgotten between elections," she said.
"We are faced with a government which is unwilling to listen to us and seem unable and unwilling to reform.
"And we are not asking for too much, but for a government that is honest, transparency and committed to the future of all Zimbabweans not just the few."
Mahere joins other activists such as Linda Masarira who, a few months ago, announced that she will be contesting next year's elections as an independent candidate.
Masarira is eying Harare Central seat which is in the hands of the opposition MDC-T's Murisi Zwidzai.
Source: AllAfrica
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