MDC-T urges people to vote 'YES' in referendum

The deputy organising secretary for MDC-T, Abednico Bhebhe, while addressing hundreds of MDC-T supporters at a rally in Umzingwane, Matabeleland South province at the weekend urged people to vote "Yes" in a referendum as his party would write a new constitution once it gets into power.

Bhebhe said if voted "Yes" in a referendum, the draft will pave the way for the holding of free and fair elections. He also said the party compromised on a number of issues and would include them in a new charter once in power.

"This has been a very difficult process for all Zimbabweans. It has been difficult coming up with this draft document," said Bhebhe. "Our colleagues in Zanu PF never wanted a new constitution. They have been derailing this process. They continue derailing it and this is why we are having a deadlock and Sadc is intervening. The MDC compromised on a number of issues to make sure that this process succeeds."

He, however, said under the circumstances, people should support the Copac draft constitution.

"Nonetheless, we should vote 'Yes' to the draft," said Bhebhe. "It takes us from point A to B.

Though it is a compromise document, we should vote 'Yes' to the draft as it clears the way for the holding of free and fair elections. Once in power, we will make sure that all the issues that we compromised on during the writing of the draft are included in a new constitution that we will write."

Tsvangirai last week launched a "Yes" vote campaign for the draft constitution.

The theme of the campaign is My Vote is My Voice and My Vote is Yes.

The Welshman Ncube-led MDC and Zapu's Dumiso Dabengwa have also given the thumbs-up to the draft constitution.

Zanu PF has, however, come up with its own amended constitution, claiming the Copac draft did not capture the views recorded in the outreach programme. But critics and the MDCs have said the stance taken by Zanu PF shows that the party never wanted a new constitution in the first place.

President Robert Mugabe and other Zanu PF officials have indicated that the country would revert to the Lancaster House Constitution if its amended draft was not adopted.