Morgan Tsvangirai’s statement on Zimbabwe’s run-off election
June 10th, 2008
This statement by Morgan Tsvangirai was sent as an MDC press release earlier today:
Since the 8th of April when the military plan was unveiled, this country witnessed a defacto coup detat and effectively is now being run by a military junta. As a people we have been exposed to state sponsored brutality. The violence continues unabated.
66 people have been killed, 200 people unaccounted for, 3000 in hospitals, and over 25000 internally displaced. We have also witnessed a continuing trend of targeted attacks on our candidates, party leadership, and members. The structures of our party have been decimated with our polling agents remaining prime targets.
As a party we condemn violence in all its forms and wish to state that no single person should die on account of political differences. We won this election and therefore only the loser has a score to settle with the masses. This is why ZANU PF has setup bases across the country. Mugabe and his wife have been shedding crocodile tears by visiting MDC victims of political violence when his militia man are in fact the authors and perpetrators of the massacre.
In particular we want to condemn the role of Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri who has refused to carry out his duties. Chihuri is accountable for protecting ZANU PF thugs and creating a partisan culture of policing. We sympathize with those members of the police who have been humiliated, beaten, and violently tortured simply because they had refused to act on unlawful instructions.
Of late a group calling themselves vana vevhu has presented a position where they wish to repeat the land grabs of 2000. This group claims their patron is Grace Mugabe. What is clear is that Robert Mugabe wants to repeat the chaotic and violent land grab by unleashing this group on the people while confessing ignorance. We know that this is a preemptive strategy designed to undermine the will of the people in the face of yet another imminent defeat.
This is the political environment prevailing in our country 17 days before the run off election.
ZANU PF is also circulating a fabricated document purportedly signed by me and the secretary general of our party. This document misrepresents our party’s policy on land in particular the role of whites in a future Zimbabwe as well as the armed forces, civil servants, and ex combatants. A core campaign has been created to misinform our traditional leaders on the issues l have mentioned above. We wish to restate that our party has clear policies on land, and the need to keep our army and police force professional.
Against this background Robert Mugabe is making every effort to create a situation where he emerges the winner and therefore is making a concerted effort to undermine the Zimbabwe electoral commission by employing militia and soldiers as staffers.
We are aware that there is an attempt to abuse the postal vote system. We are also aware that there is an attempt to undermine those security forces right to a secret ballot. Through its campaign on terror unleashed on people mainly in the rural areas, ZANU PF has forcibly withdrawn national identity document from some of our members. For some their documents were destroyed together with their property as their houses were burnt. It is clear that ZANU PF strategy is a dooms day strategy.
The illegitimacy of this regime will certainly be confirmed if Mugabe declares himself a winner.
There has been growing momentum on the question of a government of national unity. Speculation is rife on this issue with some saying negotiations are taking place. Others say the agreement has already been signed. Nothing can be further from the truth. Since the announcement of the election date for a run off, no one can change that date unless Robert Mugabe concedes defeat. It therefore means that a government of national unity negotiated before the run off does not arise.
We have been on record as saying once a mandate has been given to us we will form an inclusive government as a way of managing our transition. We are committed to this position.
We wish to state that the Kenyan model of a government of national unity is not an option because here the people have clearly spoken and our circumstances are different. The people’s choice must be respected.
In spite of the conditions on the ground the MDC is focused on the run off and has developed counter strategies of campaigning. I am encouraged by the people’s determination and their desire to ensure that we finish it and we dismiss hunger, poverty, loss of dignity and suffering on June 27, 2008. This is the change you can trust. Our victory is certain.
June 10th, 2008 19:26
When Morgan’s victory is assured, some people have said that he could use the present (amended) Constitution to bring in dictatorial laws of his own. Let me remind you that Mugabe retained the Rhodesian Front-era state of emergency ten years into independence for fear of destabilisation by security elements.
It may be that Morgan would have to retain some extreme security measures during the transition to true democracy, simply as a precaution to curtail some highly militant elements. But Morgan is an honest broker. If your roots lie with a labour movement you have to be entirely honest, otherwise your co-workers will soon find you out. Mugabe’s way, on the other hand is not honest, or fair, or democratic. Mugabe’s way is total ruin. There is only one good way and that is Morgan’s way. May the Lord guide Zimbabwe to the only right way. The good way.
June 10th, 2008 22:00
This is surely the last chance to go “the good way” or it will be the end for Zimbabwe.May all the people of Zim realize that and vote for Morgan.
June 10th, 2008 23:30
You know those anti-AIDS adverts that start of with “Imagine a world…”…well imagine a Zimbabwe without R.G.
…oh just imagine! I have only ever known him as the hed honcho, being born just before 1980…it’s almost impossible to imagine waking up and hearing a Zimbabwean news buletin announcing “President Morgan Tsvangirai….”…or hearing fellow Zimbos expressing free speech on TV…or reading alternative political views in a free press…or walking into a supermarket and battling(due to too many optinos on the shelves) to decide: ‘will it be brown read today, white, r wholewhet or milk bread or just plain old french loaf’…:sigh:…just imagine…:)
Vana veZimbabwe, Bob Marley akaimba akati ‘Get Up, Stand Up…Don’t give up the fight!’…just imagine!
June 11th, 2008 02:21
whats this item I am hearing bout M.D.C officials asking Mugabe for a joint govenment??????????lets hope M.D.C wont fall for it.I mean look @ all the ppl who have accepted to join wt the old barley..they just end up just like him or worse still being used by him…God bless Zimbabwe..
June 11th, 2008 09:50
The failure of the AU and SADC –except for Botswana – to sent observers is in itself a CRIMINAL ACT!
Those who had made empty promises of observers that would be deployed “very soon†should be judged by their actions. The failure to act means complicity in the very human rights abuses they vocally deplore, but with their calculating ‘inaction’ they are becoming participants in the brutal campaign unleashed on the people of Zimbabwe.
We need action to ensure that observers are send now and not when it suits those involved with the regime.
June 12th, 2008 15:55
It’s quite obvious that Mugabe does not intend to stand down, whatever happens in the run off. I think Morgan is probably right, the military are in “under cover” control of Zimbabwe and Mugabe has little say anymore. However, one wrong move and his Generals will cut his throat, which I think will eventually happen anyway (the sooner the better).
At the end of the day, once the army are fully in control, which is inevitable, the bloodshed will really begin. I know the MDC have a policy of non violence but I hope they have a properly thought out military plan to fall back on when the genocide begins. Because it will. Guess what the rest of the world will do?
The MDC has brought the people of Zimbabwe this far, and the people have spoken. The MDC must now find the means to finish what it started, or the people of Zimbabwe will perish in their thousands and things will be back to where they started, everything in vain. The momentum is with the people, it must not falter now.
If they (MDC) can not see this through, they should never have tried to gain power in the first place. The people of Zimbabwe had nothing before the elections except a little bit of hope and their lives. They stand to lose that too.
I pray Mugabe and his murderous cowards will do what is right and step down, we know that will never happen though, so may they be forever silenced and burn in eternal Hell.
God’s speed for an end to the suffering in Zimbabwe and may He once again smile on the “Land of Milk and Honey”.
Any comments to aharries@chc.ca
June 23rd, 2008 20:46
Having acknowledged that MDC supporters have suffered violence at the hands of ZANU PF supporters, let us also acknowledge that ZANU PF supportes have also been assaulted and murdered by MDC supporters. The cases are documented, the police have in their cells as we speak both ZANU PF and MDC supporters areested for public violence. Why is it then that noone want to talk about MDC violence? The same reason why cnn, bbc, sky etc ignored the black casualties but showed only the pictures of beaten up & dead white farmers during the land destribution perhaps? The biased views by ‘west’ sponsored media is shocking! This is why I will never vote for mdc, they don’t care about me but will rather die defending the interests of bush and brown!
June 27th, 2008 11:45
tsvangirai’s fatal flaw is and has always been his totally misguided belieif that relief can come from sadc or some other outsider..the way to deal with zanu Pf is to engage em on evry front [content removed by sok] ..fight in the courts for the unconsitutionl denial of the right to be heard in the media fight for space on ztv and radio …fight on the international front organise pickets and demonstrations wherever zanu leaders go outside,and for gGod’s sake unite with welshman and company it cost you the last election …you are exibiting the same power greed, rule at all costs synrome that Mugabe has…Be willing to share the spoils of the strugle ..and lastly forge aliances in zanu break zanu down , they are not infallible and far from being united steal some of their MPs and factions take the war to their backyard…look at dabengwa my namesake IF YOU DO THESE THINGS YOU WILLL NOT ONLY TROUNCE ZANU IN ANY ELECTION YOU WILL DESTROY ZANU FOR GOOD