Zimbabweans are going for elections this year, 2018, and the MDC T is vigorously preparing to be the next government that will usher in a new Zimbabwe.. ZANU PF has been in power for 37 years and, even in its reconfigured form, has failed to inspire enough confidence to attract investment.
By Hon. Eng. Elias Mudzuri (Acting President: MDC T)
They have failed to resuscitate the economy and cash still remains unavailable to the banking public. We are ready to take on ZANU PF as we remain the most viable alternative. Soon we shall unveil our policy document which outlines our roadmap towards a better and inclusive Zimbabwe. As a government we will adopt a results based business approach to holistically address issues of corruption, unemployment and the liquidity crisis. But to achieve this, people must register to vote.
We conducted a successful voter mobilization programme in all the provinces during the BVR registration blitz from 10 October to 19 December 2017. The 4.8 million voters registered, far exceeded any realistic expectation. As a result of our efforts and engagement with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and the courts, we are going into the one month long mop up phase of the registration exercise.
I once again call upon the party to unite in the mobilization of our people to register in this last window of opportunity running from 10 January to 10 February 2018. Our national target of registered voters should still remain at 7 million. All urban centres that include Harare and Bulawayo should up their game so that this target is met. Special emphasis should be on the youths and women as many of them have still not registered.
The message should go out to the youths that the future is theirs and only through registering to vote can they determine that future and the new Zimbabwe they want. Those that turned 18 after the first phase of the blitz and those that will turn 18 in the period of the coming blitz should be made aware that they can still register to vote for this year’s elections. Those previously regarded as Aliens and were ineligible to register, can now do so after the landmark court ruling last year.
As a party, we remain committed to the “Big Tent “approach in uniting the opposition forces to fight together in one corner in the coming elections. On 25 March 2014, the President of the MDC – T, Morgan Tsvangirai stated that the party had created a big tent for everyone that would “mount a united front against the real authors of the national crisis who are clueless on how to solve the problems facing the people.” The MDC –T has thus appealed and continues to appeal to all opposition political parties to join forces with us in the Big Tent in order to dislodge ZANU-PF in the elections. The MDC Alliance that we are currently building is one culmination of this Big Tent vision. We urge our Alliance partners to focus on mobilizing people to register to vote and ensure they go out to vote on Election Day.
Meanwhile we continue to call on the ZANU PF government to deliver on the promises made to the nation and improve the lives of the people. We call for free, fair and credible elections held according to the country’s Constitution and laws. There must be comprehensive electoral law reforms and transparency in the conduct of the whole electoral process. Never again should state sponsored violence or the threat of a repeat of past atrocities be used to force voters to attend political meetings/rallies or to vote against their will. A clean voter’s roll must be transparently produced, inspected by voters and be availed to all interested parties on time. This is the new Zimbabwe we want.
Finally, while we continue to pray for the health of our President, I appeal to all those looking forward to a new Zimbabwe to come together with us to effect change over a 37 year one party rule. Join us in our party functions and programmes. Together we shall see a new Zimbabwe in 2018.
