via Tsvangirai ponders poll participation – New Zimbabwe 08/04/2015
FORMER Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s opposition MDC-T party will meet Friday to decide on whether to overturn a congress resolution to keep out of all elections until reforms are instituted.
The party’s national council will, according to spokesperson Obert Gutu, meet to make the decision that could decide the direction the party will take.
“The issue of by-elections will come under discussion by our national council on Friday because it is the highest decision-making body outside congress and has power to set-aside its resolutions,” said Gutu adding that the party’s national executive will meet before the make-or-break national council indaba.
The MDC-T last month wrote to Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda requesting that seats then held by some 21 legislators who are part of the MDC-Renewal be declared vacant.
Mudenda concurred and now by-elections will have to be held in 14 of the 21 constituencies.
However, the Renewal group has approached the Constitutional Court seeking a reversal of the decision in a case that will be heard on April 14, three days before the nomination courts sit across the country.
The Tsvangirai group, at its congress last October, resolved not to take part in any elections unless government institutes reforms to level the playing field.
However pressure has been mounting on the opposition party with critics accusing Tsvangirai of “donating the 14 seats to Zanu PF” in a bid to spite his former comrades led by Sekai Holland in the other political formation.
President Robert Mugabe has set June 10 as the date the by-elections will be held in which notable aspirants include Information Minister Jonathan Moyo who wants a second bite at Tsholotsho North after losing to Roselyn Nkomo in 2013.
The Renewal Team has also rejected participation in any polls before reforms arguing it will be an endorsement of Zanu PF’s rigging machinery while smaller parties such as the NCA and Transform Zimbabwe continue to be routed in by-elections held in different parts of the country.
COMMENTS
MAKE A STRATEGIC DECISION, MDC T, PARTICIPATE IN THESE BY ELECTIONS! DO IT THE NIGERIAN WAY WHO, WITH BOKO HARAM AS A THREAT, WENT AHEAD WITH NATIONAL ELECTIONS! THE REEST IS HISTORY!TEST THE WATERS BEFORE 2018! YOU ARE THE ONLY OPPOSITION PARTY WITH SERIOUS SUPPORT!
By not participating, particularly in their own traditional strongholds, the MDC is foolishly handing over to Zpf more of the little democratic space that they have been fighting so hard to get from the repressive regime. The MDC must be prepared to wage the fight from all fronts possible, and consolidate on whatever ground they have gained. You can hardly achieve a more conducive electoral playing field by merely shouting and abiding by ill-advised and half baked congress resolutions. One effective way of exposing the unfair system is test it to the fullest, ie by participating and gathering real evidence.
To be or not to be is the question. MDC-T will be damned if they participate and damned if they don’t participate in these by-elections. They allowed their emotions and ego, rather than rationale logic, take over when they orchestrated the recall of their former comrades in arms in MDC Renewal Team. You can’t eat your cake and have it. They should go back to the people and hear their side of the story on whether to take part or not. The party’s national council has already taken a position, a dangerous one for that matter; so now its time to hear what their supporters, who are arguably in the majority in all the constituencies with pending by-elections, say. Boy-coting elections, for a party which purports to bring about a democratic change of governance in our beloved Zimbabwe is both suicidal and undemocratic.
FLip Flopping again, why cant Zimbo stick to something good or bad
Please do not take part in these elections stop legitimising these thieves please
Participation will just be waste of time, ZANU PF has already rigged the elections. For once MDC-T stand with a resolution, not be a wishbone. You must prove your mantel by being resolute, while Tsvangirai was SG for the ZCTU, you were man of your word. Now you should be that man again. If you participate simple because you want to prove your popularity, it will be an arsenal in ZANU PF’s hands. ZANU PF is good at celebrating over nothing. They celebrate when Mugabe was handed over SADC and AU chairmanship as if its an achievement of good leadership yet that post is rotational. When he cames back from UN meeting they welcome him as if they expected him not came back. They celebrate that they defeated Britain in the war of 1975-80, when in fact Smith is the one who defeated Britain when he declared UDI, in stead they call it theirs. ZANU PF and ZIPRA defeated Smith but because it makes more sense to say Britain they will not change. go into this election and they will say they defeated you even though they know there are no elections, they have rigged already. For once be WARNED
Please mdc T do not wasting time going for by-elections.this the time kuti mugadzirire 2018 election why mugabe anoranba achigo bira chete saka this the time yekuronga kuti poitwa sii kuti to win next coming election kwete kuti tirambe tichiti tika enda mberi todzoka shore. Remember this part (mdc) is not formed to be permanet opposition part in the country but to remove zanu pf and its system.