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National Executive bulletin
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
June 15, 2012

The MDC National Executive Committee met with the following objectives:

• To receive a report on the recent SADC Luanda Summit, from the leadership
• To receive recommendations of the Inquiry into the disturbances that rocked the Party last year
• To discuss political developments in the country

Before the start of the meeting the leadership observed a minute of silence for Phenias Chikadaya the National Youth Assembly Organising Secretary who died in a tragic accident in Harare and Chairman Cephas Magura who was murdered in cold blood by Zanu PF members in Mudzi.

The National Executive noted with concern contemptuous utterances made by some Zanu PF elements within the military and takes these threats of violence seriously as they are meant to subvert the democratic processes in Zimbabwe and undermine the will of the people.

The MDC is however, quite clear that these sentiments do not reflect the thinking of the professional men and women in the security sector.

The Executive is seriously concerned with the massive illegal recruitment of soldiers and police officers as this causes a serious strain on the fiscus as Treasury has not received any meaningful revenue inflow from the mining and sale of the country's diamonds.

The Executive noted that Zanu PF is trying to derail the agreed reforms in the Global Political Agreement (GPA) including the Constitution making process so that the next elections will be held under conditions that make free and fair elections impossible. The party is calling for a speedy conclusion of the Constitution making process.

The MDC reiterates that by the time Zimbabwe goes for elections, security sector, media and Electoral reforms, including the staffing of should have been concluded. These will ensure a level playing field for all those who wish to contest in the election. The MDC is, therefore, saying that the minimum conditions as set out by the AU as well as SADC, which the party restated in the Conditions for a Sustainable Election in Zimbabwe (CoSEZ), should prevail before elections are held.

The National Executive applauded the SADC resolutions that reforms must be implemented within the next 12 months, and noted that elections should be held after the implementation of key reforms contained in the GPA.

Further, the party noted the worrisome lack of transparency in the mining of diamonds and the remission of revenue to the State by mining companies, notably Anjin. The MDC fears that most of this revenue is being channeled towards sponsoring Zanu PF violence ahead of the next elections. The party reiterated that diamond revenue must be channeled to Treasury to effectively complement efforts by government towards improving the welfare of the people.

The MDC is seriously concerned with the illegal massive recruitment of soldiers and police officers which not only strains the fiscus but has raised fears in the people of the post election state-sponsored violence of 2008.

The party lauded the recent decision of the Judge President of the High Court that Mugabe can be sued over his violation of the GPA when he unilaterally appointed the provincial governors without consultation with the Prime Minister. The party hopes that this matter will be concluded as a matter of urgency.

Further, the National Executive received a report on the findings of the Commission of Inquiry that was set up after Congress to investigate the violence that bedeviled some provinces during the run up to our congress last year. The Party noted that Zanu PF and state agents directly and indirectly fanned and promoted violence in the MDC in a bid to create chaos within the party. The Executive resolved that all MDC members and officials who were implicated in violence should be brought before the National Disciplinary Committee without regard to their status within the party.

Serious cases of infiltration by state agents were noted and mechanisms have been put in place to flush out such elements.

The party does not condone violence; instead it looks forward to efforts to bring perpetrators to book. The MDC therefore, urges the upright men and women within the police force to resist being abused by Zanu PF.

The Executive is worried by the continued denial of bail of the 29 MDC activists who are in remand prison on false charges of murdering a policeman in Glen View in May last year since their indictment for trial in February 2012. The MDC views their continued incarceration as persecution not prosecution and call for their immediate release as there is no evidence that they committed the offence.

The MDC will not renege the fight for democracy and real change. The people of Zimbabwe await a new Zimbabwe and a new beginning where all people live in dignity, freedom and democracy, security, prosperity and hope.

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