ZIMBABWEANS cannot afford to wait for the 2023 general
elections to correct the socio-economic dysfunction allegedly caused by
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s disputed election, MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has
said.
Chamisa, who takes his party to a crunch congress set for
May 24 to 26, said the MDC would come out with a slew of strategies to face
Zanu PF and ensure that the economics, politics and reform agenda are set right
ahead of fresh general elections.
“Why wait for five years. We must begin the journey with
the July 2018 disputed elections so that issues of legitimacy are dealt with,
issues of parliamentary reforms are dealt with, (and that there is) political
dialogue. If there is no political dialogue, we say this and we will say it
again, we are going to resort to constitutional avenues and platforms around
our rights to express ourselves until what we believe to be the legitimate
request is acceded,” he said.
The MDC said it was prepared to meet Zanu PF and its
government head-on to ensure that the country’s problems are resolved.
Zanu PF and Mnangagwa have continued to ignore the
opposition leader and, instead, are pressing ahead with his government’s
economic blueprint, the Transitional Stabilisation Programme.
Mnangagwa initiated his own political dialogue with 17
fringe political parties, some of them with no following, and the dialogue will
be officially launched on May 17 without Chamisa.
This has not scared the MDC, which says Zanu PF is not
Zimbabwe and cannot be allowed to dictate the destiny of the country with their
alleged stubbornness.
“Zanu PF is not Zimbabwe; that is why democracy is there;
that is why constitutions are there; that is why people are there because they
have to deal with stubborn elements like Zanu PF. They may choose to be
stubborn, but we will tame their stubbornness,” he said.
Chamisa said after congress, the fight against Zanu PF
would be broadened and street protests might become the centre stage to resolve
the enduring national crisis.
Today, Chamisa is expected in Mutasa, Manicaland province,
to address a campaign rally for the Mutasa Rural District Council ward 10
by-election set for this weekend.
His visit comes after a high-powered Zanu PF delegation
visited Mutasa last weekend to campaign for their candidate, Magret Tindika.
Meanwhile, MDC members fighting to lead the youth assembly
have promised to bring radicalism and vibrancy into the wing in the fight
against Mnangagwa, with one of them pushing for an early harmonised election,
claiming that the current administration has failed to arrest the worsening
situation.
Zimbabwe is currently battling an economic turbulence that
has seen prices of basic commodities shooting beyond the reach of many. The
country is due for the next general elections in 2023.Newsday
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