News / National
MDC-T threatens to hit back
22 Apr 2013 at 06:28hrs | Views
MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora yesterday told hundreds of party supporters not to take political violence lying down, but fight back in self-defence should Zanu-PF supporters attack them.
Addressing a campaign rally organised by Harare West MP Jessie Majome at Mabelreign shopping centre in Harare, Mwonzora said although the MDC-T was campaigning for peaceful elections, party supporters had a right to fight back if provoked.
"If you see someone wearing a Zanu-PF T-shirt going about their business, leave them alone. But if you are beaten by Zanu-PF supporters, fight back. It is allowed because you will be doing it in self-defence," he said.
He said the MDC-T had worked hard to quell the violence that had become characteristic of the country's politics although a lot still needed to be done.
"We came into government and reduced violence which had taken away some of our cadres including Tonderai Ndira. We came to stop it. We are not there yet because we are still dealing with the demon of violence. We are doing something about it," he said.
Turning to the economy, Mwonzora said the MDC-T had significantly turned around the country's economic fortunes for the better compared to the situation that prevailed just before they came into power when supermarket shelves were virtually empty and hospitals had no drugs or staff.
"(Prime Minister Morgan) Tsvangirai came in to restore the situation. We came and took away the Zimbabwe dollar and brought in the US dollar," he said.
One of the reasons they came into the power-sharing arrangement with Zanu-PF, he said, was to draft a new democratic constitution.
"When the colonisers came to Zimbabwe, they got the constitution from the Queen. When Zanu-PF came into power, they had the Lancaster House Constitution and now we have this new constitution to usher us into power," he said.
Meanwhile, MDC youth chairman Solomon Madzore challenged the party youths to go and register to vote ahead of the next elections. "There is no point for you to come to this rally and swell the numbers while doing the slogans yet you are not registered to vote. It's as good as if you are not a member of the party," he said.
The rally was also attended by Chisipite Senator Obert Gutu and MDC-T deputy national chairperson Morgan Komichi, among others.
Addressing a campaign rally organised by Harare West MP Jessie Majome at Mabelreign shopping centre in Harare, Mwonzora said although the MDC-T was campaigning for peaceful elections, party supporters had a right to fight back if provoked.
"If you see someone wearing a Zanu-PF T-shirt going about their business, leave them alone. But if you are beaten by Zanu-PF supporters, fight back. It is allowed because you will be doing it in self-defence," he said.
He said the MDC-T had worked hard to quell the violence that had become characteristic of the country's politics although a lot still needed to be done.
"We came into government and reduced violence which had taken away some of our cadres including Tonderai Ndira. We came to stop it. We are not there yet because we are still dealing with the demon of violence. We are doing something about it," he said.
Turning to the economy, Mwonzora said the MDC-T had significantly turned around the country's economic fortunes for the better compared to the situation that prevailed just before they came into power when supermarket shelves were virtually empty and hospitals had no drugs or staff.
"(Prime Minister Morgan) Tsvangirai came in to restore the situation. We came and took away the Zimbabwe dollar and brought in the US dollar," he said.
One of the reasons they came into the power-sharing arrangement with Zanu-PF, he said, was to draft a new democratic constitution.
"When the colonisers came to Zimbabwe, they got the constitution from the Queen. When Zanu-PF came into power, they had the Lancaster House Constitution and now we have this new constitution to usher us into power," he said.
Meanwhile, MDC youth chairman Solomon Madzore challenged the party youths to go and register to vote ahead of the next elections. "There is no point for you to come to this rally and swell the numbers while doing the slogans yet you are not registered to vote. It's as good as if you are not a member of the party," he said.
The rally was also attended by Chisipite Senator Obert Gutu and MDC-T deputy national chairperson Morgan Komichi, among others.
Source - newsday
