Tinashe Sambiri| MDC Alliance has dismissed the Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa’s empty bravado on by-elections.
Mr Mnangagwa told his supporters in Beitbridge Zanu PF was ready to trounce opposition in the coming by-elections.
In response MDC Alliance Namibia has described Mr Mnangagwa’s remarks as ” empty, meaningless and insignificant.”
Read statement below :
Choosing not to vote is never a rebellion, it’s surrender-Mdc Alliance Namibia demands reforms!
19 November 2021
Mr Mnangagwa’s utterances before a borrowed crowd in Beitbridge where he commissioned 23 houses for civil servants unraveled his unwillingness to deliver on the much needed comprehensive political and electoral reforms ahead of the impending by-elections and the harmonised elections in 2023. The level of desperation in the Harare regime unearthes its unpreparedness to respect the rule of law and constitutionalism in the motherland. Mr Mnangagwa yesterday said by-elections would go ahead even if the opposition boycotts them to protest his failure to implement reforms that would guarantee free, fair and credible polls. This on its own reflects that the clueless regime is ever desperate to retain power at whatever costs regardless of the citizenry’s audible calls saying #NgaapindeHakeMukomana meaning the People’s President Advocate Nelson Chamisa should find himself in the State House in 2023.
He went on to say, “We are going to have by-elections in 2022 and tinovasvasvanga(we will trounce them). In 2023, we will then have general elections tovarakasha (we will beat them)”. I want to make it categorically clear that the Mdc Alliance never hinted that they will boycott the elections but through its Secretary for Elections Ian Makone , it announced its commitment and dedication confront Zanupf and their surrogates demanding the alignment of the Electoral Act to the 2013 Constitution by bringing the electoral bill to the August House pronto. As a social democratic party, we believe that elections belong to the people and voting is a fundamental part of independence hence the idea of boycotting is a Zanupf ploy to hoodwink the unsuspecting masses.
Moreover, social democrats in Namibia would like to remind citizens that if they don’t vote, they automatically lose the right to complain against endemic corruption practised by Zanupf belly politicians. It should be clear to all change agents that Mr Mnangagwa desires to see them giving up the national democratic revolution resulting in the creation of voter apathy. In constitutional democracy we are convinced that the world is run by those who show up that is why our political generator (The Eagle) President Advocate Nelson Chamisa Wamba Dia Wamba is busy with the citizens interface preparing for those elections. Every right thinking Zimbabwean should wake up and smell the coffee of socio-economic transfiguration.
Boycotting elections is not our objective and I will never be one because our party has already written to ZEC politely requesting a stakeholder meeting to deliberate issues relating to the conduct of elections in Zimbabwe to avert post elections disputes manifesting in rigging and other irregularities. ZanuPF should be cognisant of the fact that Mdc Alliance is busy campaigning in the rural areas where most rigging takes place through high levels of human butchery, intimidation, torture, partisan distribution of food aid and frog-marching of Mdc Alliance members to Zanupf rallies.
In addition , Mdc Alliance has issued , for reference 20 Principles for Reliable, Inclusive and Credible Elections in Zimbabwe. We made it point blank that ZEC should dismiss all the military personnel at the purported independent body, the voters roll should be released on time as stipulated in the supreme law of the country, the apaque procurement of the election equipment should be resisted with equal measure, real time announcement of results among others constitute the our( PRICE). Constitutional democrats should be ready to defend the Constitution against Zanupf shenanigans. Lets all be geared to demand these comprehensive political and electoral reforms as enshrined in our PRICE document.
Voting is our civic right and by virtue of being Zimbabwean citizens, we should freely fulfil our obligation to take part in the national discourse through voting. It is quite pathetic that the authors of our toiling had the guts to blame Mdc Alliance-run local councils for failure to provide efficient services. The irony of the matter is that since Zanupf took over from Ian Douglas Smith, Harare epitomised the capital city of Africa, the currency was stronger than the USD with a stable exchange rate of 1ZWD=2USD and the infrastructure was just perfect 40 years ago, everything is now dilapidated which is a sign that Zanupf politicians are absolutely divorced from the concrete realities of our people. Our locals are affected by Zanupf’s centralisation of power whereby the central government controls all local councils through its corrupt Minister of Local Government. We are revolutionary intellectuals and public thinkers we can’t be flattered by a regime that has started our country down the slopes of hyperinflation.
In a nutshell, Mdc Alliance Namibia would like to send a clear message to George Charamba who claimed that announcement of by-elections by Mnangagwa caught Mdcs by surprise, and unprepared. “Not only are they unprepared and broke ;they mortally fear that a thorough thumping by the ruining Zanupf will remove the benefit of the doubt on which they hoped to fundraise ahead of 2023”,Charamba said. What Charamba should comprehend is that President Advocate Nelson is the darling of the Zimbabwean citizens! Why is Zanupf barricading roads? Why is Zanupf unleashing violence on a prospective loser? Why is Zanupf arbitrarily arresting Mdc Alliance activists leaving Mwonzora guarded by the police during his poorly attended rallies?
It is clear that the Mdc Alliance President Advocate Nelson Chamisa Wamba Dia Wamba is the only game in town saka tichiti Ngaapinde Hake Mukomana. No to boycotting! We shall continue to demand the independence of ZEC. Voting is a constitutional right that cannot be surrendered through a boycott. We need reforms now!
RegisterToVote
VoteIn2022By-elections
VoteIn2023
DefendTheVote
ZanupfShouldBoycottNotMdcAlliance
WeAreDeterminedToFightForReforms
ANewGreatZimbabweIsLoading
PresidentChamisaIsTheOnlyGameInTown
VoteMdcAlliance
DiasporaVoteIsANon-negotiableRight
FreeCdeMako
HandsOffAllPoliticalPrisoners
Mdc Alliance Namibia
Rundu Branch Spokesperson
Robson Ruhanya
