Back to Index

ZIMBABWE: No word on whether MDC will drop poll boycott
IRIN News
January 18, 2004

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45123

Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says it is keeping its options open on its participation in the March general elections.

"Our position still remains that we have suspended participating in any elections until the Zimbabwean government adheres to the SADC [Southern African Development Community] protocol governing democratic elections," the MDC secretary general, Welshman Ncube, told IRIN.

Ncube alleged that a partisan police still banned political rallies organised by the MDC, while the ruling ZANU-PF's meetings went on unhindered. Under the tough Public Order and Security Act (POSA), political parties have to get clearance from the police to hold a gathering.

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena told IRIN that the reason the MDC's applications were rejected was because the party allegedly advocated violence.

"When they submit their applications to hold rallies, police have to make an assessment of whether such a rally will not disturb peace and security in the area," Bvudzijena explained.

Ncube said apart from being gagged by POSA, his party was also being denied access to the public media, as required by the SADC protocol. However, the government contends that because the opposition has not confirmed its participation in the ballot, it does not qualify for airtime.

Ncube said a formal decision on participating in the March poll would be made by the MDC's National Executive Council, the party's highest decision-making body, and would depend on "events prevailing on the ground".

While not officially announcing a decision to take part in the poll, preparations appear to be underway, suggesting that the MDC, the country's main opposition party, will stand.

A list of candidates has almost been finalised, and the party has embarked on a door-to-door campaign strategy in a bid to circumvent POSA by avoiding public meetings.

Some MDC officials believe the party can capitalise on the faction fighting that emerged at ZANU-PF's December congress over the choice of its second vice-president, a potential successor to President Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe's choice, loyalist Joyce Mujuru, saw off her rival, parliamentary speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa, after the party ruled that the post must be held by a woman. A secret meeting, held at the Tsholotsho home of then information minister Jonathan Moyo, allegedly to block Mujuru and back Mnangagwa, attracted six provincial chairmen and reform-minded so-called 'Young Turks'.

"The ruling party has suspended six of its 10 provincial chairpersons, while some senior party heavyweights have been sidelined from the party because of the Tsholotsho meeting. I think we should take advantage of the disgruntlement in ZANU-PF and fight it out in the upcoming elections," said Sylvia Mtingondo, an MDC district official in the capital, Harare.

Ructions have also been caused by the ruling party's imposition of candidates for the March election, which has excluded two cabinet ministers - Moyo and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa - as well as 10 MPs. ZANU-PF said change was needed and it had agreed to allocate a third of all places to women.

The MDC, formed in 1999, has emerged as the main political challenge to Mugabe and ZANU-PF's 25-year hold on power. In its first ballot in 2000, despite noteable levels of violence and intimidation, the party clinched 57 parliamentary seats against the ruling party's 62 elected seats.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP