News / National
MDC-T will not accept illegitimate election, says Tsvangirai
13 Jun 2013 at 11:30hrs | Views
MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai today said he will not accept a situation where Zimbabweans will yet again be railroaded and frog-marched into another illegitimate and violent election.
Tsvangirai said this will addressing a press conference in Harare on the unilateral proclamation for elections to be held on 31 July after Robert Mugabe gazetted Statutory Instrument 85 of 2013 to proclaim the election date.
"As Morgan Tsvangirai, the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe and the President of the MDC-T, I will not accept a situation where Zimbabweans will yet again be railroaded and frog-marched to another illegitimate and violent election," said Tsvangirai.
"In short, another June 27 2008."
He said in terms of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed on 15 September 2008, which has been codified as the 8th schedule of the current Constitution of Zimbabwe, the President can only act in consultation with the Prime Minister in respect to any executive decisions including the announcement of the date of the election.
"Thus, President Mugabe's actions are a unilateral and flagrant breach of our Constitution and the GPA. I, as PM, cannot and will not accept this. Moreover, part 111 of the 6th schedule of our Constitution makes it clear that there shall be an intense 30-day voter registration exercise," he said.
He said in the last Cabinet meeting, all political parties agreed that voter registration had commenced on 10 June 2013 and would be completed on 9 July 2013. The net effect of the proclamation is therefore to infringe on the Constitutional provisions obliging the 30-day intense voter registration exercise," said Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai said this will addressing a press conference in Harare on the unilateral proclamation for elections to be held on 31 July after Robert Mugabe gazetted Statutory Instrument 85 of 2013 to proclaim the election date.
"As Morgan Tsvangirai, the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe and the President of the MDC-T, I will not accept a situation where Zimbabweans will yet again be railroaded and frog-marched to another illegitimate and violent election," said Tsvangirai.
He said in terms of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed on 15 September 2008, which has been codified as the 8th schedule of the current Constitution of Zimbabwe, the President can only act in consultation with the Prime Minister in respect to any executive decisions including the announcement of the date of the election.
"Thus, President Mugabe's actions are a unilateral and flagrant breach of our Constitution and the GPA. I, as PM, cannot and will not accept this. Moreover, part 111 of the 6th schedule of our Constitution makes it clear that there shall be an intense 30-day voter registration exercise," he said.
He said in the last Cabinet meeting, all political parties agreed that voter registration had commenced on 10 June 2013 and would be completed on 9 July 2013. The net effect of the proclamation is therefore to infringe on the Constitutional provisions obliging the 30-day intense voter registration exercise," said Tsvangirai.
Source - Byo24News
