Nkosana Moyo, former Industry and International Trade Minister, in Zimbabwe on Thursday launched a political party in a bid to contest for 2018 presidency, news agency reported on Thursday.
Moyo is a former minister in President Robert Mugabe’s government.
He told journalists that his decision to contest in the polls followed pressure from many quarters.
“I have come to the conclusion that I must heed the call to run for the office of president of Zimbabwe, this call is coming from diverse Zimbabweans,’’ Moyo said when he launched his Alliance for the People’s Agenda Party.
Moyo resigned from his post under protest in 2001 and left for South Africa.
He has accused Mugabe’s government of lack of vision, while Mugabe called him a coward.
Moyo said that his party would not join the proposed coalition of opposition political parties to fight Mugabe and the ruling ZANU-PF party in 2018 polls.
“Combining things does not always give you the result you expect,’’ he said.
Moyo also distanced himself from ZANU-PF, saying he had never been its member.
He promised to serve only one term if he wins the presidency.
Zimbabwe’s new constitution adopted in 2013 limits the presidential term to two five-year terms.
ZANU-PF has already endorsed Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since its independence from Britain in 1980 and would be 94 in 2018, as its presidential candidate for the 2018 polls.
(Xinhua/NAN)