Back to Index

MDC pushes for a free and fair election
Movement for Democratic Change
October 27, 2010

The MDC will ensure that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is restructured, that the voters' roll is up to date and accurate and the delimitation of constituencies is carried out on time before next elections are held next year, President Morgan Tsvangirai has said. Addressing hundreds of Highfields residents at Cyril Jennings Hall in Harare on Tuesday evening, President Tsvangirai said these issues had to be looked into urgently before the 2011 elections are held.

He was speaking at an MDC consultative meeting. The meeting was part of the MDC national consultative meetings that are being carried out across the country. They were launched at Mabvuku Hall in Harare last week. The consultations focus on Robert Mugabe's constitutional breaches and lack of respect of the Global Political Agreement (GPA); the performance of the inclusive government; national elections; and political violence.

"We must have free, fair and credible elections. The CIO (Central Intelligence Organisation) operatives in ZEC should be removed. The voters' roll should be updated and the delimitation exercise should be carried out before the elections. "Zanu PF has replaced itself with the police, army and CIO operatives as it no longer has people on the ground. We respect these institutions but they must conduct their work without favour. That is what the GPA says," President Tsvangirai said.

He said the MDC was concerned about what Zanu PF sees as the issue of people of foreign ancestry especially those whose family roots were originally from Mozambique and Malawi who were being barred from the election process as they were termed to be "aliens". "You are citizens of this country because you were born in this country," President Tsvangirai said in response from a resident who had queried on why people were being barred from voting as they were termed to be "aliens".

He also urged the people to register to vote as the next elections are the only chance to bring real change to the country. The President said the MDC would not let the people of Zimbabwe down. "The journey that we have travelled has been long but we will not let you down. We will continue fighting in this struggle until we have succeeded," he said.

He explained that through the GPA, the MDC had brought Zanu PF back to life. "Zanu PF had brought the country to its knees because of corruption. It is the MDC that brought Zanu PF to where it is now. But Robert Mugabe is no longer interested in implementing outstanding issues agreed in the GPA. "We are taking three steps forward but Zanu PF is taking five steps back. Although we know that this is a temporary agreement, the actions by Zanu PF are meant to force us out of the inclusive government, but we will not quit as it is you the people who said we should be part of this agreement," he said.

On the Constitution - making process, which has been marred by violence and intimidation by Zanu PF supporters, the President said the MDC would not abandon the process.
"It has not been a transparent process as people have been intimidated in the rural areas. However, we will respect the will of the people and its outcome will decide on the next election," he said.

Speaking at the same occasion, MDC Secretary - General, Hon. Tendai Biti said the MDC stood for five principles- hope, dignity, democracy and freedom, prosperity and security.

"As a result all these things must be codified in the new Constitution," he said. He urged Harare residents to take part in the Constitution - making process which will be revisited in Harare after being cancelled due to violence instigated by rowdy Zanu PF supporters in September. "Let us take part in this process," he said.

Present at the meetings were several senior MDC officials, MPs and Cabinet ministers, who included, the organising secretary, Hon. Elias Mudzuri and his deputy, Senator Morgen Komichi, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Hon. Paurina Mpariwa and Harare provincial chairperson, Senator Morgan Femai. Today, the consultative meeting will take place at 5pm at Glen View 1 New Hall in Harare.

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