THE Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC Alliance has said it respects
President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the constitutionally-appointed leader of Zimbabwe, but emphasised the need to
hold elections to come up with “a leader with no baggage”.
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, where they gave
feedback on their recent trip to the United States following a backlash over
reports that the coalition had invited sanctions for the country, MDC Alliance
principals Tendai Biti and Welshman Ncube said they did not dispute that
Mnangagwa was the legitimate leader of the country.
The two said Mnangagwa was appointed after Zanu PF
forwarded his name to the Speaker of the National Assembly as was required by
the Constitution.
But the duo claimed Mnangagwa lacked political legitimacy
because he inherited former President Robert Mugabe’s rule that was itself
marked by legitimacy questions after the “stolen” previous elections.
“The issue of Mnangagwa’s leadership is legal formalism,
but he lacks political legitimacy,” Ncube said.
“What has been the problem in Zimbabwe is the lack of
political legitimacy. He inherited Mugabe’s crown and that includes his
political illegitimacy.”
Mnangagwa took over after a military intervention to settle
Zanu PF’s internal succession problems that led to Mugabe’s abrupt resignation
last month.
MDC-T deputy president Nelson Chamisa, who was in the US
together with People’s Democratic Party leader Biti, said contrary to Zanu PF
accusations, their trip was a meant to open lines of diplomatic communication
for the benefit of the country.
Chamisa said economic growth in the post-Mugabe era could
only be ushered in by a return to legitimacy and the people’s will underwritten
by Sadc, Africa and the international community, which formed the basis of
their diplomatic offensive which they would spread to China, Russia and other
countries.
“It is within this hope that the MDC Alliance presidential
candidate despatched us into Africa, Europe and the United States on a global
campaign for free, fair and credible elections,” he said.
Chamisa said the country needed $15 billion to reconstruct
and their US trip was to start the ball rolling for the raising of funds to
rebuild the country as soon as they “win” the 2018 general elections.
“Zimbabweans know that this country needs to start afresh.
We need international goodwill, we need massive capital injection, but, above
all, we need the international confidence, which confidence can only come with
the installation of a legitimate regime in Harare through credible elections,”
he said.
Chamisa said Mnangagwa had promised free and fair
elections, but what was worrying was the absence of a road map to the polls.
He said the opposition did not regret its role in the
ouster of Mugabe and all that they needed was the undoing of the system the
former Zanu PF leader left behind.
He said their visit would see America improve its
humanitarian assistance.
As part of the immediate return to legitimacy, the MDC
Alliance demanded the implementation of electoral reforms, the setting up of a
credible biometric voters’ roll, media reforms, foreign observation to
elections, introduction of diaspora votes, establishment of an enabling
electoral environment as well as repeal of the Public Order and Security Act
and Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
They also demanded the demilitarisation of government
institutions.
The MDC Alliance reiterated that Tsvangirai was its
presidential candidate. Newsday
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