MDC-T to 'fix' votes in four provinces

The MDC-T says it has been infiltrating Zanu-PF strongholds by launching vigorous campaigns to enhance its chances of unseating President Robert Mugabe in the forthcoming general elections.

Party spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora and deputy national chairperson Morgan Komichi confirmed the move, adding the campaigns would target Mashonaland West, East, Central and Midlands provinces that were regarded as Zanu-PF strongholds during previous polls.

"The organising department is working out strategies to deal with areas we did not do well in the last elections. We discussed some of those areas where we did not do well," Mwonzora told NewsDay yesterday.

"In these areas, Zanu-PF employed two strategies. The first strategy was violence especially in Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central. The levels of violence were very high. The second strategy was infiltration.

Zanu-PF would infiltrate the provinces to destabilise the party, but now we are working on strategies to get those provinces back."

He, however, declined to disclose the strategies the party intended to apply to infiltrate the areas.

Addressing an MDC-T provincial fund-raising event in Chinhoyi last weekend, Komichi said election results from the four provinces would determine the party which would eventually win the next poll.

"Our party's victory in the next elections is dependent on four provinces which are Mashonaland East, West, Central and Midlands.

Why do I say that? I say so as new votes that can be turned in MDC's favour are more in these provinces while in others victory is certain," Komichi said.

"A good fisherman would venture into waters where there are many fish. These provinces are the only ones that would determine an MDC victory in the next election. That is why I appeal to you passionately to unite and work hard so that we garner all votes and rule."

He said Zanu-PF won the majority votes in Mashonaland provinces due to violence but blamed party supporters for giving away Midlands province due to factionalism.

In the first round of the March 2008 harmonised elections, Tsvangirai garnered 47,9% of the votes while second-placed President Robert Mugabe (Zanu-PF) polled 43,2%, forcing a runoff in which Tsvangirai pulled out citing violence against his supporters.

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