News / National
Poorly attended MDC-T rally ends in chaos
19 Apr 2013 at 22:24hrs | Views
A poorly attended MDC-T rally in Chitungwiza meant to introduce provincial aspiring candidates for harmonised elections yesterday ended in chaos as the nearly 300 supporters who turned up resorted to booing the speakers and those who performed.
The rally, organised by the party's Women's Assembly, was disrupted by rowdy youths who shouted at anyone and scrambled for mineral water that was being distributed.
The supporters had to be asked to remain calm on several occasions by the director of ceremonies as they protested against some dancing groups that were performing at the rally.
The low turn out signifies the party's dwindling fortunes in the town where the MDC-T dominated council sacked most of the councillors for corruption.
Addressing the handful of supporters, MDC-T Women's Assembly chairperson Mrs Theresa Makone admitted that the low voter turnout was because people were fed up with the corrupt councillors from the party.
She urged the party's supporters to choose women during the forthcoming harmonised elections, accusing male councillors in her party of being corrupt. Mrs Makone said the fact that most councillors from her party were either suspended or dismissed for corruption left a dent on the party.
"We have never heard of a corrupt woman councillor, but most malecouncillors have proved they are corrupt," said Mrs Makone.
"Let us vote for women, especially in those areas where the male counterparts were corrupt."
Mrs Makone said the low turnout for the rally was disappointing and attributed it to transport problems, despite that the venue at Unit L grounds was centralised such that many people could easily walk there.
"I am very disappointed by some Members of Parliament for Chitungwiza who failed to provide transport to our supporters," she said.
"Many people would have attended, but because they could not get transport they are not here. I am glad for the few supporters who managed to attend the rally."
Mrs Makone attacked Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Cde Saviour Kasukuwere for the indigenisation programme which she said was not benefiting people.
"I want to tell Kasukuwere that JUICE is the answer to indigenisation," she said.
JUICE, which stands for Jobs, Upliftment, Investment, Capital and Environment, is the MDC-T's discredited policy which assumes foreigners will create jobs for locals. The policy condemns Zimbabweans to a life of employees of foreign companies, compared to the indigenisation programme which offers the locals an opportunity to become employers by taking over such companies.
A lot of people have since benefited from the empowerment programme that also creates share community ownership schemes for locals in areas where natural resources are exploited by foreign companies. Under the indigenisation programme, foreign companies are compelled to cede 51 percent of shares to locals.
The rally, organised by the party's Women's Assembly, was disrupted by rowdy youths who shouted at anyone and scrambled for mineral water that was being distributed.
The supporters had to be asked to remain calm on several occasions by the director of ceremonies as they protested against some dancing groups that were performing at the rally.
The low turn out signifies the party's dwindling fortunes in the town where the MDC-T dominated council sacked most of the councillors for corruption.
Addressing the handful of supporters, MDC-T Women's Assembly chairperson Mrs Theresa Makone admitted that the low voter turnout was because people were fed up with the corrupt councillors from the party.
She urged the party's supporters to choose women during the forthcoming harmonised elections, accusing male councillors in her party of being corrupt. Mrs Makone said the fact that most councillors from her party were either suspended or dismissed for corruption left a dent on the party.
"We have never heard of a corrupt woman councillor, but most malecouncillors have proved they are corrupt," said Mrs Makone.
"Let us vote for women, especially in those areas where the male counterparts were corrupt."
Mrs Makone said the low turnout for the rally was disappointing and attributed it to transport problems, despite that the venue at Unit L grounds was centralised such that many people could easily walk there.
"I am very disappointed by some Members of Parliament for Chitungwiza who failed to provide transport to our supporters," she said.
"Many people would have attended, but because they could not get transport they are not here. I am glad for the few supporters who managed to attend the rally."
Mrs Makone attacked Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Cde Saviour Kasukuwere for the indigenisation programme which she said was not benefiting people.
"I want to tell Kasukuwere that JUICE is the answer to indigenisation," she said.
JUICE, which stands for Jobs, Upliftment, Investment, Capital and Environment, is the MDC-T's discredited policy which assumes foreigners will create jobs for locals. The policy condemns Zimbabweans to a life of employees of foreign companies, compared to the indigenisation programme which offers the locals an opportunity to become employers by taking over such companies.
A lot of people have since benefited from the empowerment programme that also creates share community ownership schemes for locals in areas where natural resources are exploited by foreign companies. Under the indigenisation programme, foreign companies are compelled to cede 51 percent of shares to locals.
Source - TH
