PDP President Tendai Biti Address at the signing of the Coalition of Democrats (CODE) Agreement

Anglican Cathedral of Saint Mary's and All Saints Church Harare

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Presidents

Gilbert Dzikiti
Elton Mangoma
Edwin Mushoriwa
Laura Makuzha
Farai Mbira

The chair of CODE, Farai Mbira who is also the President of Zunde, members of the diplomatic corps, the leadership of PDP, all democrats in the room and the PDP family.

It is with great humility that as PDP, we have taken this position of joining CODE, a process which we were part of when the first CODE meeting was held in Harare on 14 May 2014.

Today, we complete a journey started nearly three years ago.  CODE is bound by upright qualities of that no one is more equal than the other.

This statement is also part of the country's Constitution. Chapter 2 of Section 8 of the Constitution says; "The objective set out in this Chapter guide the State and all institutions and agencies of government at every level in formulating and implementing laws and policy decisions that will lead to the establishment, enhancement and promoting of a sustainable, just free and democratic society in which people enjoy prosperous, happy and fulfilling lives".

That is the vision of CODE.  We are not asking for much.  We are asking what is in the Constitution - the freedom to love.  A Zimbabwe that treats us like first class citizens and not fourth class citizens, that is why we are forming this coalition.

We are confident that CODE is the only coalition in Zimbabwe and that believes in personal accountability and this is our natural home.  This is a coalition, we are not in competition with other political parties but it is a coalition that is not going to beg anyone and we are going to work very hard.
CODE is the only political alliance and it will survive.  We have respect for different views and we cannot question the lack of wisdom.

It is sad that at least 91% of the people are unemployed.  Many young children are fleeing the country at a rate of 3 000 a week crossing the flooded crocodile-infested Limpopo River into South Africa.  The majority of the people in urban areas are surviving on tsaona.  We are living like wild animals.  We have to mobilise for the crisis that we are facing.

We are less than 18 months to an election but there are no reforms.  As we sit here right now, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been kicked out.  Zanu PF is known for predatory, toxic politics.  It is State capture.  Zanu PF is confirming that it has captured ZEC.

It is therefore not accident that we are signing CODE in a church.  We find it humble that we are signing this in church and the walls of Jericho are going to fall sooner.

Chief among our demands will be a new voters' roll   r the People's Democratic Party (PDP) family, today is a euphoric and historic day as we join our brothers and sisters in signing and joining the Coalition of Democrats (CODE) Agreement.

Therefore, we are going to give Zanu PF a run for their money and there is need for us to establish a transformative state.

Our agenda in CODE is we have a duty to transform Zimbabwe and as PDP we commit ourselves to work tirelessly to achieve this.

My words to Zanu PF are that we are coming for you Robert Mugabe.

I thank you