Bulawayo to host Zanu-PF, MDC joint rally

BULAWAYO Province will host the first joint rally to be addressed by leaders of the three political parties in the inclusive government as part of measures to discourage political violence.

During the rallies, to be held in all the country's provinces, the leaders will preach peaceful co-existence and tolerance ahead of the forthcoming elections.

Secretaries-general of Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations have been holding meetings over the past weeks to prepare for the rallies.

MDC secretary-general Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga said Bulawayo has been identified to host the first joint rally.

"We have met one of the three leaders and we are now left with two other leaders basically to agree on what dates the joint rallies should be held," said Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga, who is also Regional Integration and International Co-operation Minister.

"We have met President Mugabe as Secretaries-General and we are still to meet (MDC-T) President Tsvangirai and (MDC) President Welshman Ncube."

She said they will also meet provincial political commissars of Bulawayo and Matabeleland provinces as part of the preparations.

"All is now on course for the rallies and Didymus Mutasa has been asked to check on when President Mugabe will be free for the Bulawayo rally," she said.

Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa said the three political parties have covered much ground in their preparations.

"We are now at an advanced stage. We are meeting political commissars of political parties next week to finalise the meetings," said Mutasa, who is also the Minister of Presidential Affairs.

"It was agreed in our meetings that it is important that we include political commissars of political parties," said Mutasa.

MDC-T secretary-general Mr Tendai Biti reaffirmed what Mutasa said.

He added the principals had been requested to come up with dates convenient to them.

"I have not been attending most of the secretaries-general meetings. However, there was an agreement at SG level that we should have these joint rallies. We have asked the principals to give us the dates," said Mr Biti who is also Finance Minister.

The rallies are a follow-up to an indaba on violence that was held in Harare in November last year by the parties that was jointly addressed by President Mugabe, Prime Minister Tsvangirai and Prof Welshman Ncube.

The parties' top decision-making bodies, the Central Committee members and national executive committee members, also attended the meeting.

At the meting, President Mugabe, PM Tsvangirai and Prof Ncube urged the police to decisively deal with perpetrators of political violence.

The meeting sought to address inter-party tensions rocking some parts of the country.

A call was also made to establish an inter-party committee in lower structures to stem political violence.