Tsvangirai sticks to election boycott decision

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai warned Zanu-PF against killing people as he advocated for the return of the missing pro-democracy activist Itai Dzamara at a rally held at Mucheke Stadium on Saturday under the theme, ‘No reforms, No elections' which also strengthened his party's position to boycott elections.

Addressing thousands of party supporters, Tsvangirai said Zanu-PF should stop killing people and further told the gathering that the end for Zanu-PF is imminent. He said his party will watch as the country's situation dilapidates so that action takes its course before he warned Zanu-PF that this year people will definitely rise against all their injustices.

"I call upon Mugabe and his government now that they stop killing our people. They may however eliminate us one after another but they will never finish us. I assure you that the end for Zanu-PF is imminent and MDC-T's victory is near.

"They may kill us yes, but this year they will see what people are made of. You cannot tell a soccer player when to tackle or pass so people will act," said Tsvangirai.

"We as MDC-T say no reforms, no election. We also want to see the crisis escalate because if we do not act that way, there will be no resolution to the problems Zimbabwe is currently facing. These problems need no prayer nor tears but real revolutionaries to combat the challenges," said Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai added that MDC-T is a party which wants to rule by the ballot, making it a reason that government should amend its electoral system or he simply boycotts the election.

"We are a party that is striving to rule by the ballot, not by instituting fear and cheating. We thereby stand by our congress resolution to have electoral reforms first before elections and we are even looking into boycotting parliament," added Tsvangirai.

To echo Tsvangrai's sentiments, MDC-T national youth chairperson, Happymore Chidziva said the battle of supremacy between the two main parties is that of the holy and evil.

Meanwhile, MDC-T provincial treasurer Takanai Murei is suspected of having tried to disturb the rally as it is alleged that he anonymously spread fliers throughout the streets of Masvingo threatening to boycott the rally if Tsvangirai did not dismiss James Gumbi as party chairperson.

Amongst the reasons written for the dismissal of Gumbi on the flier were that he disobeyed Tsvangirai directive to co-opt John Nyika, Festus Dumbu and Tichaona Chiminya into the party's provincial executive. It stated that Gumbi and his provincial executive deliberately failed to conduct a restructuring exercise in Masvingo Urban, Gutu Central, Zaka Central and Bikita South.

An MDC-T councillor who spoke to Radio VOP on condition of anonymity said the fliers could have been the brainchild of Zanu-PF to disturb the rally or  disgruntled Mureyi who is currently on a move to fight for his candidates to grab provincial sits.

"These fliers could either be the work of Zanu-PF in a bid to disturb the rally or Mureyi who is currently in a fight with the executive to have his candidates sworn in the provincial executive," said the councillor.