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The Real Change Times Movement for Democratic Change a Party of Excellence! the Official Mouthpiece of the MDC

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The Real Change Times Movement for Democratic Change a Party of Excellence! the Official Mouthpiece of the MDC Iz qula enzo u I G ze o n ir z it o a G M u q a j u n l i a h C C h o i r n i t j i a a M M a a i j t i n r i o h C The Real Change Times Movement for Democratic Change A Party of Excellence! The Official Mouthpiece of the MDC Tuesday 26 June MDC Information & Publicity Department, Harvest House, 44 Nelson Mandela Ave, Harare, Zimbabwe Issue 112 2012 MDC not formed to fight army The MDC was formed to fight Zanu PF formed to fight the army; it was formed who was one of the election observers and not the army, a parliamentarian said to contest Zanu PF,” he added. in Malawi’s first ever democratic last week. election in the early 1990s said people Hon Chitando explained that the must differentiate between transfer of Masvingo Central Member of the introduction of the motion was power and transitional process. House of Assembly, Hon Jeffreyson motivated by the fact that Zimbabwe Chitando said this when he introduced will hold elections within a year and “I would like to emphasise on the a motion to deal with pre and post- the manifestations of violence already transfer of power which would happen election transition. emerging in the country. where the winner is declared and the loser acknowledges the election; that is Hon Chitando’s call comes in the wake Before the start of the debate, during transfer of power. of peaceful power transition in Zambia, the Prime Minister’s Question and Malawi, Senegal and Lesotho. Answer session, Kwekwe Central MP, “The aspect of transition would then Hon Blessing Chebundo had asked come in, in the whole civil service, be it Even in Egypt, transition has, largely, what the Prime Minister’s position was in the army, the police, the civil servants been peaceful. regarding utterances by some misguided in general and also across the media. securocrats that they will not respect the Transition means you have changed After months of speculation on who outcome of an election where another bosses and you must always know would be Egypt’s next president, party other than Zanu PF wins. which side of your bread is buttered,” Mohammed Morsi was finally declared Hon Gwiyo explained. the winner of the presidential re-run In his response, President Tsvangirai held on 16 and 17 June 2012. made it clear that people should not Highfield West MP, Hon Simon Hove paint all the security forces with one expressed optimism that Zimbabwe According to reports from Egypt, Morsi brush as only a few had that attitude. will have democratic elections. won by 800 000 votes which translates television said. “Firstly, when we are dealing with this to 51,7% of the votes cast beating his motion, we should note that this motion “I have often stated here that we have “I want to thank the mover of the rival Ahmed Shafiq. “Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi is not a one-sided political motion… to distinguish between institutional motion with these few words and I pray congratulates Dr Mohamed Morsi We have got also the liberation struggle mandates as opposed to individual for Zimbabwe that we have a free and The announcement prompted scenes on winning the presidency of the which we have got also to cherish. We attitude. I want to state here that those fair election, come next time we are of jubilation in Egypt with supporters republic,’’ the channel reported, after have also the GNU which we have got utterances by a few individuals do not having these elections…,” he said. of Morsi converging at Tahrir Square, a race that polarised the Arab world’s also to look at,” Hon Chitando said. undermine the patriotic Zimbabweans home of the uprising which toppled most populous nation. who are serving in the army, police Zimbabwe is currently in the process dictator, Hosni Mubarak. “Partisan police and some of their force or the intelligence services, the of preparing a new constitution, However, the legislator is disturbed and statements that incite violence should majority of whom are committed to after which the country will go for a Although the military in Egypt concerned with the violent transition in be stopped. We want also the army to upholding the Constitution and the referendum. This is likely to happen wanted Shafiq to become the some parts of Africa, particularly Ivory uphold the Constitution. There is one protection of the people of Zimbabwe,” this year. Around June next year, president, Marshal Hussein Tantawi Coast and Mali. aspect I would want you to understand. President Tsvangirai responded. Zimbabweans will go for what has been on Sunday congratulated the Muslim When the MDC was formed, it was not termed the ‘watershed elections’. Brotherhood’s candidate, Morsi state Hon Collen Gwiyo of Zengeza West Military should stay out of politics – Lewanika The military in Zimbabwe has no such a respected force is used to In recent years, vocational training However, Lewanika said it was not all role to play in civilian processes such campaign and play an active role in centers have been used by Zanu PF soldiers who were meddling in partisan as elections and should be educated civilian processes against the people. to train a militant youth notoriously politics. on their roles and responsibilities Why should Douglas Nyikayaramba, a known as the Border Gezi. so that they safeguard the country’s serving military person be in the Copac “In 2007, some soldiers demonstrated Constitution, the people and the country process? This is shameful,” he said. Media reports also say senior army and after others were arrested and some with pride and passion, a leading human officials are demanding that they be died in detention during that time. rights activists has said. He said after the defeat of Zanu PF at allocated a certain fraction in the next Soldiers are not a homogenous entity, the hands of the MDC in 2008, the army Parliament. they also see. Some celebrated in 2008 Macdonald Lewanika of the Crisis in was used to prop up violence against when they heard that the MDC had Zimbabwe Coalition said this while MDC members across the country. “During times of elections, the soldiers won. The biggest challenge, I am sure, addressing an ideological lecture series must be confined to the barracks and lies at the highest echelons of the army. at the MDC headquarters, Harvest This operation led to the death of over they are not supposed to be part and The rest are just like us, unhappy with House, Harare last Friday. 500 MDC members while thousands parcel of civilian life. They have their what is happening,” he said. were maimed. own processes and a special oath to The lecture series was on; “The role of protect the country that they need to He pointed out that it is strange that the military in elections in Zimbabwe”. Lewanika said this is where the hold sacred,” said Lewanika. recruitments are being done now when Zimbabwean problem began as the bulk talk of election has risen in the country “Our entire community has been of the military leaders are unaware of He said soldiers in Zimbabwe are and that those being recruited do not militarised,” said Lewanika. what their role should be. deployed at the whim of a political have proper qualifications. It is clear; he party yet the soldiers are subordinate said that the people are being recruited “Even at the crowning of the Miss “In fact, they continue to operate as if to a civilian government. He added for purely political reasons. Zimbabwe, there is army’s presence they are political commissars of Zanu that soldiers owe their allegiance to which is intimidating. Wherever we PF,” he said. the country and its people and not to a “Soldiers are trained to kill and to are, we live with soldiers. Soldiers political institution. beat up so the moment we see soldiers Mr Lewanika should be confined to the barracks, He said the Zimbabwean political being deployed even under the guise when they come into the society they landscape has been purely militarised “Here in Zimbabwe, an army general of civilian clothes, we begin to get the MDC ought to be seen to lead should be in their civilian clothing not with Zanu PF forming terror groups like has the audacity to tell the Prime worried. But, we have an example of differently. in camouflage. But it has become a Chipangano in Mbare, Harare and the Minister that they will not support him, Egypt, where solders refused to rise culture and it is difficult to deal with. Top Six in Chinhoyi. elsewhere, that person will be fired. against their own people, so we should The people who attended the lecture We should not even be asking if the We need to know what the role of the not treat the military as a monolith,” he series said they were happy with the army has a role to play in politics. In 2008, these groups and many others soldiers and the security sector is, and said. discussion as it assisted them to unpack were used to terrorise and violently this is contained in the constitution, a the role of the security during elections. “Zimbabwe is celebrated as a country thwart democratic. public document, so we can not stop He said that though the country’s with the best army but unfortunately, talking about these,” he said. landscape is highly militarised, The people’s struggle for real change: Let’s finish it!! 1 WhoBy Hon.
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