News / National
Tsvangirai backtracks on election boycott
01 May 2016 at 03:07hrs | Views
Opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has made climbdown in his controversial election boycott stance.
He said his party will now contest the 2018 general polls despite its "No Reforms, No Elections" campaign adopted in 2014.
"We are not boycotting any election, come 2018. We are going to be there.
"We are preparing to participate in the 2018 elections and we are very categorical about it," Tsvangirai told journalists at the Bulawayo Press Club on Friday night.
"What we are saying is that when we go to that election, it must give the people the confidence that the election will not be usurped like the 2013 one."
"We are participating in the 2018 elections and we are very confident that obstacles that were placed in our way before will be removed by the time we go to the polls."
The dramitc shift has drawn praise from Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) commissioner, Qhubani Moyo who said the announcement showed a vote of confidence in the country's electoral system.
"As an electoral management body official, it is good news as it reflects a vote of confidence in the electoral reform processes done so far. We have taken charge of the voters' roll from the registrar general," Moyo posted on his Facebook page.
"We have also introduced marker pens and not ink dipping. We are preparing for biometric voter registration. That is how far we have gone so far, but we still have a few more things to do and we are happy that people are already happy."
Source- Standard
He said his party will now contest the 2018 general polls despite its "No Reforms, No Elections" campaign adopted in 2014.
"We are not boycotting any election, come 2018. We are going to be there.
"We are preparing to participate in the 2018 elections and we are very categorical about it," Tsvangirai told journalists at the Bulawayo Press Club on Friday night.
"What we are saying is that when we go to that election, it must give the people the confidence that the election will not be usurped like the 2013 one."
"We are participating in the 2018 elections and we are very confident that obstacles that were placed in our way before will be removed by the time we go to the polls."
The dramitc shift has drawn praise from Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) commissioner, Qhubani Moyo who said the announcement showed a vote of confidence in the country's electoral system.
"As an electoral management body official, it is good news as it reflects a vote of confidence in the electoral reform processes done so far. We have taken charge of the voters' roll from the registrar general," Moyo posted on his Facebook page.
"We have also introduced marker pens and not ink dipping. We are preparing for biometric voter registration. That is how far we have gone so far, but we still have a few more things to do and we are happy that people are already happy."
Source- Standard
Source - The Standard
