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Zimbabwe's Elections 2013 - Index of Articles
Tsvangirai
defuses split
Moses Matenga,
NewsDay
August 08, 2013
http://www.newsday.co.zw/2013/08/08/tsvangirai-defuses-split/
Outgoing Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday defused a potential split in
his MDC-T party when he gave the green light to winners
of last week’s elections from his party to take part in
parliamentary and council business in order to “guard the
party’s zones of autonomy”.
Impeccable sources last
night said the MDC-T leader met with the Harare Provincial Council
of his party where he emphasised the need for peace saying his party
would not brook any violence, but a pursue legal means to get justice
following the “stolen election”.
According to our sources,
the meeting took place at the party headquarters, Harvest House,
in the capital where the “participation and peace” pronouncements
were made.
Tsvangirai reportedly
told the winning candidates to “protect” their victory
in parliamentary and council elections while the party continued
to fight for the return
of the “stolen victory”.
There had been fears
of a split within the party’s after its National Council meeting
at the weekend resolved that the MDC-T would not participate in
all forms of government business.
Tsvangirai’s spokesperson
Luke Tamborinyoka confirmed yesterday’s meeting, but refused
to shed detail on what was discussed.
Sources, however, said
the MDC-T leader said his party would not take part in government
business including Cabinet.
“There
is a huge difference between levels of government and levels of
State,” one of the sources said. “Parliament
and council are levels of State. The Prime Minister wants us to
guard our zones of autonomy in Parliament and councils. We will
not be part of Cabinet and parastatals, among other government institutions.”
Another source added:
“We have said we are going to defend whatever we have got,
that which they did not steal. That will not stop us from the battle
to take what they stole from us.”
The sources said Tsvangirai
told the party members that they should take part in Parliament
and council business and start mobilising the people for the future.
“He set targets
for us to work on and said we should go out there and work. He said
that under the provincial council, the local authority would have
its resources and they should use that to develop the city. He said
voter registration had to start now no matter when elections would
be held,” said another source.
Tsvangirai said teams
would be put in place to evaluate the work of councils.
Tsvangirai last week
threatened to disengage from all government institutions following
what he called a stolen election.
The MDC-T won 49 out
of 210 parliamentary seats. Results for council elections are yet
to be announced.
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