The Real Change Times Movement for Democratic Change a Party of Excellence! the Official Mouthpiece of the MDC
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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 08 March MDC Information & Publicity Department, Harvest House, 44 Nelson Mandela Ave, Harare, Zimbabwe Issue 066: 2011 Major people’s victory unlimited international observers a must for the watershed elections HARARE - After 11 years of a gruelling that is based on violence, malpractices, seeking to re-energise its leadership for subjected to political violence in the political lobby, Zimbabweans last week an opaque voter’s roll and regular Zimbabwe’s final lap to total freedom. recent past. finally made a major breakthrough in gerrymandering spearheaded by Zanu This is impossible as the MDC has convincing SADC and the world of the PF since independence. now reached a level where it is the “We’re fighting the most sophisticated efficacy of a general election that should dominant political force in Zimbabwe dictator on the African continent,” said mark a watershed and be monitored by Persistent disputes over Zimbabwean and determines the political agenda. MDC secretary general and Finance an unlimited number of international election processes and outcomes have Minister, Hon. Tendai Biti. election observers. plunged the nation into an abyss, “It is the will of the Zimbabwean punctuated by massive hyper-inflation, people which must determine the future “We are talking about two different The MDC has always argued that an economic meltdown and murder. The of Zimbabwe as a country, and it is in messages: the past and the future,” said, Zimbabwean elections have been issue appeared to have subsided after 29 our interest as a country that indeed referring to the differences between messy as they failed in the past to meet March 2008 when Robert Mugabe and we proceed in that direction,” said Mr Zanu PF and the MDC. “It’s inevitable a basic free and fairness test because Zanu PF were humiliated in a poll that Motlanthe. “Because if we fail and that there’s going to be a violent of restrictions imposed by the Zanu PF was relatively free. But within hours Zimbabwe implodes, literally the border collision. But our vision is the future, dictatorship on local and international of Mugabe’s defeat, a military junta between Zimbabwe will disappear and and the future will always win. scrutiny. took over the ship of the state, fronted we will sit with all the problems. We by a hopelessly weak Zanu PF civilian already know. We’ve had a taste. That’s “A new society is being built. The only Confirmation of the rising international outfit, and slid back into its old, brutal why our approach is one that ensures that challenge is whether this baby is going consensus for Zimbabwe’s next way of manipulating and subverting the steadily they move in the right direction. to be delivered by violent caesarean elections to be placed on a clear radar will of the people. section, or by normal delivery. But it emerged at the weekend when South “We would not ourselves employ will be delivered anyway.” Africa, as guarantors to the Global Mr Motlanthe’s remarks at the Council methods that would undermine the will Political Agreement (GPA), made it of Provinces came at a time when Kgalema Motlanthe of the Zimbabwean people.” On the violence, Mr Motlanthe’s clear that the next round of polling Zanu PF had, once again, intensified Our party restructuring meetings are not response showed South Africa was shall be under a similar focus to that of its grip onto the nation, holding a large open to the public. They are attended by The resurgent Zanu PF violence has unambiguous about the source, pattern the 1980 Independence power transfer swathe of the rural population hostage purely by party members to renew their raised the fear factor to its June 2008 and coordination of the scourge. “Of arrangement. through violence and intimidation and leadership structures as prelude to the levels, with 89 percent of the population course, sometimes old habits die hard. threatening to overturn the gains of the third congress. being gagged to a point where they “The conception is that these elections nation’s two year transition to order. were “not feel free to express political “The law enforcement units ... are used would be a watershed, like the 1980 To classify such private gatherings views”. Recent independent polls show to dealing with citizens a bit harshly. elections that happened when the The message coincided with an as a danger to national security is as that 74 percent of the people believed This was confirmed in meetings with old Rhodesia became Zimbabwe,” unexplained decision by the police to misguided as it callous. Zanu PF’s “that fear affects how people vote” the various political parties, including said South Africa’s Deputy President ban all political activity, other than those intention is to weaken the party, render in Zimbabwe. Some 58 percent of Zanu PF,” he said. Kgalema Motlanthe at the weekend. of Zanu PF, including internal party it ineffective and confuse a people Zimbabweans reported having been national preparations for the MDC’s “The next elections are viewed by third congress. Surprisingly, the police all parties as watershed elections, further wanted to ban even President and therefore they have to prepare Tsvangirai’s report back meetings Mugabe must walk the talk on violence – US for them thoroughly to ensure which he convenes in his dual capacity that there will not be any more as party leader and the Rt. Hon. Prime Zimbabwe is a country buoyed by to the police and security services. The violence or intimidation during the Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe. massive opportunity yet gripped credibility of that statement, however, course of the election campaign.” with uncertainty because of a rise ultimately will be reflected in if or how in political violence, says the US it is honoured.” The MDC was surprised to learn that all Deputy Assistant Secretary of State She implored on Zanu PF to reject the Contrary to the utterances and its internal restructuring processes were for African Affairs, Ms.Susan D. use of violence and fear in its campaigns misguided wishes of Zanu PF indicating instantly classified as illegal gatherings Page. if it is to remain relevant to the future. that an election could be imposed onto in Harare, Bulawayo, Mashonaland the people before the completion of West and East provinces with the police Ms Page, who was on an official “I urge the security service members visit to Zimbabwe last week, said to stand up to the partisan few among the necessary reforms, Mr Motlanthe claiming to be under instructions to the United States remains committed them who are intent on abusing their was categorical and forthright in place Zimbabwe in state of high alert. to working with the people of positions, and their fellow citizens, for insisting that no such election would The party viewed the decision as a ruse Zimbabwe to achieve their common personal gain. Service to extremists be considered credible and legitimate to justify the sabotage of the MDC’s goal of seeing a more stable and within one party is not service to the unless Zimbabwe was ready with forthcoming congress. prosperous Zimbabwe. nation,” she said. a roadmap, after exhausting all “The United States is concerned by Ms Page’s observations came at a outstanding points of potential friction Zimbabwe faces no internal or external the increase in political violence, time when the US government warned between the main political parties. threat in a region as peaceful as SADC. wanton intimidation of the public, Mugabe and Zanu PF that it was closely The MDC calls for calm and pledges and partisan arrests and prosecutions monitoring a string of recent politically “According to their work plan, the to challenge the police decree as it is a that have occurred recently. It is motivated arrests in the country and facilitation team is due to go back to result of Zanu PF paranoia, fear of the clear that these actions are being demanded Harare hold accountable people and political hysteria. perpetrated by individuals and anyone found to have tortured suspects Zimbabwe at the end of March, so that segments of the state security and detainees arrested for politically Ms Susan Page they pull together this road map. And it apparatus affiliated with elements motivated crimes. is only in the face of that road map that Of concern is the selective application within ZANU-PF,” she said. Munyaradzi Gwisai and 45 the election date can be set.” of the security laws. Countrywide, the “The United States is concerned about others were arrested recently for She challenged President Robert recent arrests in Zimbabwe targeting watching video footage showing the people of Zimbabwe witness Zanu PF disturbances that led to the fall of The changing political attitude at its meetings which are held without Mugabe to walk the talk when she political and civil society activists,” condemns violence in public. “We said State Department spokesman P.J. Arab regimes in Tunisia and Egypt. reflects a growing uneasiness with any sanction or interference. But when hope that President Mugabe, as Crowley. “In some of those incidents, the seemingly unending Zimbabwean the MDC attempts to meet the party is commander in chief of the armed activists claimed to have been tortured.” They were tortured while in police political stalemate, arising from a denied such an opportunity on flimsy forces, also conveys that message custody.