News / National
Tsvangirai not boycotting 2018 polls
26 Jun 2017 at 01:14hrs | Views
MDC-T is preparing for the 2018 general elections despite the alleged reluctance by the Zanu-PF government and Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to ensure electoral reforms are put in place ahead of the polls.
Party president Morgan Tsvangirai said despite the MDC-T's "No Reforms, No Elections" agenda, which they have been pushing since the 2013 election loss, his party was gearing to take on President Robert Mugabe.
"Well, we will go into an election. We are preparing for elections, there is no doubt about it. The fact that we are demanding certain reforms does not mean that we are boycotting elections. We have never boycotted elections," he said.
The MDC-T has been boycotting all by-elections since 2013, arguing that the electoral playing field was heavily stacked against them and has been pushing to have Zec disbanded and the polls run by international players such as the United Nations, Africa Union and Sadc.
The opposition has also called on Zec to remove all military personnel within its ranks, allow Diasporans to vote and demanded access to State-controlled media.
Tsvangirai, however, said they would go into the polls with a huge mountain to climb in the face of Mugabe's refusal to ensure elections were free, fair and credible by wringing in reforms, saying it would be impossible to lose the polls.
"How does a failed State win an election, how does Zanu-PF as a minority party, which I believe it is now, how does Zanu-PF with such a fragmented elite rapture ever convince the people that they have a solution to the problems.
"If they had the solutions, they would not have driven this country to where it is. And why would anyone give them any further chance to destroy the little that is left," he said.
Tsvangirai said given a free choice the people of Zimbabwe would not vote for Zanu-PF and only a harvest of fear and rigging could carry the day for Mugabe.
When we talk about elections we are talking about choice, if the people are given a free choice would there reality vote a failed state like Zanu-PF. Would they? No I don't think so," he said.
Party president Morgan Tsvangirai said despite the MDC-T's "No Reforms, No Elections" agenda, which they have been pushing since the 2013 election loss, his party was gearing to take on President Robert Mugabe.
"Well, we will go into an election. We are preparing for elections, there is no doubt about it. The fact that we are demanding certain reforms does not mean that we are boycotting elections. We have never boycotted elections," he said.
The MDC-T has been boycotting all by-elections since 2013, arguing that the electoral playing field was heavily stacked against them and has been pushing to have Zec disbanded and the polls run by international players such as the United Nations, Africa Union and Sadc.
The opposition has also called on Zec to remove all military personnel within its ranks, allow Diasporans to vote and demanded access to State-controlled media.
Tsvangirai, however, said they would go into the polls with a huge mountain to climb in the face of Mugabe's refusal to ensure elections were free, fair and credible by wringing in reforms, saying it would be impossible to lose the polls.
"How does a failed State win an election, how does Zanu-PF as a minority party, which I believe it is now, how does Zanu-PF with such a fragmented elite rapture ever convince the people that they have a solution to the problems.
"If they had the solutions, they would not have driven this country to where it is. And why would anyone give them any further chance to destroy the little that is left," he said.
Tsvangirai said given a free choice the people of Zimbabwe would not vote for Zanu-PF and only a harvest of fear and rigging could carry the day for Mugabe.
When we talk about elections we are talking about choice, if the people are given a free choice would there reality vote a failed state like Zanu-PF. Would they? No I don't think so," he said.
Source - newsday
