News / National
'2013 elections will be tough,' says Biti
30 Jan 2013 at 05:26hrs | Views
MDC-T secretary-general Tendai Biti yesterday said the forthcoming elections would be tough and probably the "most important after 1980 polls".
He said the coming polls would be critical in that they will need to ensure Zimbabwe does not go back to the forgettable 2008 political and economic crises.
Biti was addressing mourners during a church service at the funeral of academic and University of Zimbabwe lecturer John Makumbe yesterday.
Makumbe, who was also an MDC-T parliamentary aspirant and fierce critic of President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party, succumbed to a heart attack on Sunday morning at Arcadia Medical Centre in Harare at the age of 64.
Biti said the forthcoming elections would shape the future of the country.
The Finance minister said the country needed God's deliverance from the crisis and described Makumbe as a principled individual who stood for the truth.
"As MDC, we are looking for change and this election is as important as the 1980 general elections. If democratic forces fail, it's a case of one step forward and 20 steps backwards. We are not getting younger," Biti said.
He added that the last two years had been tough for MDC-T as the party lost a number of influential figures.
"For the MDC, it has been a tough two years because we have lost a lot of party cadres. Last week we buried Gordon Chavunduka and ironically Makumbe is the one who called (MDC-T organising secretary Nelson) Chamisa and asked who would write Chavunduka's obituary," he said.
"In December we buried Seiso Moyo, the deputy minister of Agriculture. A few weeks back we had buried the daughter of our Home Affairs co-minister Theresa Makone. We in the same year, buried our youth organising secretary Simangaliso Chikadaya," Biti said.
Biti described Makumbe as a unique individual who would speak his mind out without fear or favour.
"I have never seen a gathering of such men of cloth. It's good we are here because of prayer, because we use our knees, that will help us to save this country. In 2007 we were beaten and it's only because of God's grace that no one died," said Biti.
Also present during the church service was Chamisa, Constitution and Parliamentary Affairs minister Eric Matinenga, Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn leader Simba Makoni and businessman Shingi Munyeza.
Makumbe will be buried today in his rural home, Buhera.
He said the coming polls would be critical in that they will need to ensure Zimbabwe does not go back to the forgettable 2008 political and economic crises.
Biti was addressing mourners during a church service at the funeral of academic and University of Zimbabwe lecturer John Makumbe yesterday.
Makumbe, who was also an MDC-T parliamentary aspirant and fierce critic of President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party, succumbed to a heart attack on Sunday morning at Arcadia Medical Centre in Harare at the age of 64.
Biti said the forthcoming elections would shape the future of the country.
The Finance minister said the country needed God's deliverance from the crisis and described Makumbe as a principled individual who stood for the truth.
"As MDC, we are looking for change and this election is as important as the 1980 general elections. If democratic forces fail, it's a case of one step forward and 20 steps backwards. We are not getting younger," Biti said.
"For the MDC, it has been a tough two years because we have lost a lot of party cadres. Last week we buried Gordon Chavunduka and ironically Makumbe is the one who called (MDC-T organising secretary Nelson) Chamisa and asked who would write Chavunduka's obituary," he said.
"In December we buried Seiso Moyo, the deputy minister of Agriculture. A few weeks back we had buried the daughter of our Home Affairs co-minister Theresa Makone. We in the same year, buried our youth organising secretary Simangaliso Chikadaya," Biti said.
Biti described Makumbe as a unique individual who would speak his mind out without fear or favour.
"I have never seen a gathering of such men of cloth. It's good we are here because of prayer, because we use our knees, that will help us to save this country. In 2007 we were beaten and it's only because of God's grace that no one died," said Biti.
Also present during the church service was Chamisa, Constitution and Parliamentary Affairs minister Eric Matinenga, Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn leader Simba Makoni and businessman Shingi Munyeza.
Makumbe will be buried today in his rural home, Buhera.
Source - newsday
