News / National
WATCH: MDC Alliance cannot hold Zimbabwe at ransom, says Mangwana
23 Jul 2018 at 13:56hrs | Views
With many mushrooming political parties in this election, an MDC Alliance election boycott might prove futile. Obey Manayiti at the weekend had a chat with Zanu-PF secretary for legal affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana.
Manayiti: The MDC Alliance has been threatening to boycott the elections or picket at Zec offices and disrupt everything if their demands are not met. Will you go ahead with the elections as Zanu PF if one of the main contenders pulls out?
Mangwana: MDC Alliance cannot hold Zimbabwe at ransom. They don't own Zimbabwe. They are a voluntary organisation which exists on the basis of volition. If they decide that they will not participate in the elections, it's their choice, but we will continue with the elections.
They don't own this country, nobody owns this country and no political party owns this country. We hold elections with those organisations which volunteers to participate.
There is no requirement in this country for the registration of political parties in order to exist and so if today the MDC decides they don't want to exist, it's up to them. If they decide that they are turning themselves into a football club, it's up to them, if they choose to be a political party that participates in elections, it's again up to them.
Let them make a choice in the same manner they chose to exist. If they decide that they are now politically irrelevant, Zimbabwe will not stop moving because of that. We will continue holding the elections.
If they choose to disrupt, we have structures of the law in our country and they will act accordingly. If anyone attempts to disrupt these elections, the law will deal with them.
Let the people of Zimbabwe be assured that the government has the capacity to maintain law and order.
Manayiti: The MDC Alliance has been threatening to boycott the elections or picket at Zec offices and disrupt everything if their demands are not met. Will you go ahead with the elections as Zanu PF if one of the main contenders pulls out?
Mangwana: MDC Alliance cannot hold Zimbabwe at ransom. They don't own Zimbabwe. They are a voluntary organisation which exists on the basis of volition. If they decide that they will not participate in the elections, it's their choice, but we will continue with the elections.
They don't own this country, nobody owns this country and no political party owns this country. We hold elections with those organisations which volunteers to participate.
There is no requirement in this country for the registration of political parties in order to exist and so if today the MDC decides they don't want to exist, it's up to them. If they decide that they are turning themselves into a football club, it's up to them, if they choose to be a political party that participates in elections, it's again up to them.
Let them make a choice in the same manner they chose to exist. If they decide that they are now politically irrelevant, Zimbabwe will not stop moving because of that. We will continue holding the elections.
If they choose to disrupt, we have structures of the law in our country and they will act accordingly. If anyone attempts to disrupt these elections, the law will deal with them.
Let the people of Zimbabwe be assured that the government has the capacity to maintain law and order.
Source - social media
