BUSINESS mogul and Econet Wireless founder Mr Strive Masiyiwa has put to rest speculation touting him as a possible 2018 presidential candidate saying he has no political ambitions.
Online reports this week suggested that Mr Masiyiwa, among other top businessmen who include James Makamba, Antony Mandiwanza and Calisto Jokonya, was one of the individuals some alleged disgruntled war veterans were backing to contest the presidential election in 2018.
The reports said the alleged war veterans viewed MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Zimbabwe People First leader Joice Mujuru as tainted politicians hence they wanted an independent candidate.
However, writing on facebook, Mr Masiyiwa said he had never haboured any political ambitions.
He said even though on December 22 he wrote on the same platform that he had a big announcement to make, it had nothing to do with politics, but was of a business nature.
“#Not interested in politics, not in the past, not now, and not in the future,” reads his Facebook post.
“Announcement will be on something to do with entrepreneurship support for my followers on this Facebook page. Ignore ‘fake news hucksters.’” Mr Masiyiwa initially warned people against speculating on his planned announcement.
“I’ve delayed my special announcement until January. This one will blow you away. Don’t try and speculate on what it might be; you’ll just end up feeding the fake news hucksters. Just wait for it, and be prepared,” he wrote.
Political analyst Mr Richard Mahomva said the pressure being exerted on business executives to join politics was a sign that people are sceptical about the country’s opposition political leaders.
He backed Mr Masiyiwa’s move, saying it proves that he is a principled man who is not pressured into making decisions but acts on his principles.
In July, Econet Wireless distanced Mr Masiyiwa from a fake facebook account, liberty party, which had been posting messages and statements of a political nature.
In a statement, Econet Wireless assured stakeholders that Mr Masiyiwa did not have any links with the account.
“All the stakeholders, employees and regulatory authorities are hereby advised that an imposter has opened a facebook page bearing a picture of our group chairman Mr Strive Masiyiwa, and the name of what seems to be a political party called the liberty party. Mr Strive Masiyiwa is not in any way associated with that page,” read part of the statement.-Chronicle
1 Comment