Tsvangirai ponders poll participation

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.