'The gloves are off'

'The gloves are off' - Tsvangirai

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai

• Zanu PF wins Lupane by-election

• Lupane villagers rise aboce tribal rivalry in united hatred of Mugabe

• 64 MDC supporters arrested in clashes

• MDC MPs brutalised

By Morgan Tsvangirai

ON the eve of the Lupane by-election, magistrate Sikhumbuzo Nyathi ordered the release of Morgan Komichi, the MDC leader for Matabeleland North Province and 18 others. Komichi and the activists were arrested, detained and charged on Tuesday on allegations of public violence at Lupane business centre.

Magistrate Nyathi asked a police officer in court to explain why he arrested only MDC supporters if his evidence was based on a clash between MDC and ZANU PF supporters. The officer could only respond by saying that he was taking instructions from his superiors.

Pressed further on why he was failing to identify any of the MDC supporters he claimed to have caught red-handed committing the alleged crime, the police officer insisted that he was merely acting on instructions from his bosses.
Apparently angered by Komichi’s freedom, militias abducted our supporters Demadema Ntini Ncube and Look Sibanda and took them to headman Morgan Mtunzi, who, in turn handed them over to a group of war veterans and ZANU PF supporters camped at Matambo School. The two were severely tortured before their release on Friday evening. They were arrested soon afterwards when they attempted to file charges at the police station, and accused of violence.

Elsewhere in the impoverished constituency, village heads were turned into grain merchants during the campaign, selling maize at heavily subsidised prices on the last days of the campaign. In cases where food was an insufficient inducement, beatings, threats and harassment became the main option.

The Lupane seat fell vacant on the death of the MP David Mpala, who died from injuries he sustained at the hands of ZANU PF.

Among a host of key electoral infringements, the MDC was denied access to an updated voters roll. We only managed to use the roll supplied to us before the 2002 Presidential election.

The current Electoral Supervisory Commission has proved to be nothing more than an instrument of Zanu PF. The police are openly partisan. Other government officials have been threatened with the loss of work if they attempt to be professional in their work, especially during the time of elections.

During my visit to Lupane on Wednesday, I heard harrowing stories of voter manipulation and coercion. Villagers who braved the tense atmosphere to attend our campaign rally said senior Zanu PF officials, war veterans, militias and government ministers were in Lupane threatening them all sorts of chilling misfortunes if they dared to vote for the MDC.

The area was awash with anxieties arising from reminders of the dark days of Gukurahundi. The wounds of Gukurahundi have never healed and memories of Fifth Brigade atrocities of 20 years ago are still as fresh as yesterday. Zanu PF has perfected its fraudulent systems and is determined to bulldoze its way against the people’s wishes in a crude manner.

At most polling stations, ZANU PF supporters noted the names of voters. Our polling agents were denied the right to keep a record of the votes as people came in to cast their ballots. The police were responsible for the voter checking process, in a clear breach of the Electoral Act.

"The days of Zanu PF assuming the positions of spectator, coach, referee and player in our national elections are over"

MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, MDC LEADER

The lessons from Lupane are no different from our experiences in the past. The pattern remains the same throughout the country. However, Lupane gave us the last instalment. We have since shifted our focus and our approach. We gave Zanu PF a long rope. The regime has hanged itself and the matter is now settled. The days of Zanu PF assuming the positions of spectator, coach, referee and player in our national elections are over.

An election, whose outcome is predetermined, is no election at all. If people see elections as inconsequential to their lives, one cannot blame them for their loss of faith in the process. If elections lead to national cesspool, then they have no place in people’s lives. Lupane has helped put paid to a minority but vocal view in our society and beyond that seeks to pressure Zimbabweans to continue partaking in national plebiscites under the present conditions. Lupane has caused a serious rethink in our broad campaign for a radical change in conditions before any legitimate polls come to life in Zimbabwe.

The ball is no longer in the air. Our future is open. Zimbabweans have a deep conviction and a clear belief in the supremacy of their sovereignty over Zanu PF’s effort to legitimise intolerance, violence and oppression. Our consultation show that Zimbabweans still believe in elections provided such elections are absolutely free and fair. The desire and spirit for change remain high. That is what keeps us inspired to serve them. We are confident that we shall have free and fair elections in March 2005. We are determined to achieve this goal.

Our preparations for 2005 are in full swing. Never before has our entire nation been so ready for a showdown with Zanu PF. We have a rolling programme on the ground, a programme that will deliver change and ensure a legitimate MDC victory.

The programme is structured in a way that would enable us to intensify pressure on the regime to accede to our demands for the following minimum conditions necessary for the restoration of genuine, democratic elections.

The demands, based on the SADC norms and standards are an essential pre-requisite to the exercise of our fundamental human rights and must be in place well before Election Day in 2005.

Restore the rule of law. Mugabe must end all forms of political violence and completely disband the youth militias. He must ensure that the police and security forces are impartial in the conduct of their duties. In addition, Zimbabwe needs a special court to hear and resolve electoral disputes speedily. From our experience in the past five years, the legal route, in its present form, has subverted democracy.

Restore Basic Freedoms and Rights. We are asking the regime to revoke those aspects of the Public Order and Security Act and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) that curtail personal freedoms of the people. The Public Media must be open to all political parties and individual politicians. Further, all Zimbabweans living outside the country must be allowed to vote.

Establish an Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Elections are very crucial to any country. They are basic right with a potential to make or break a nation. We risk perpetuating our misery if we allow Zanu PF to continue playing games with our electoral system. Already, we are the laughing stock of the SADC region.

Because of our previous experience, the management and implementation of our electoral process cannot be left to Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede alone. Mudede has failed the nation on numerous occasions. His record contains sufficient evidence to disqualify him from handling another major election single-handedly unless Mugabe and Zanu PF are not serious about the future of Zimbabwe. We need an impartial body to run our elections.

Restore Public Confidence in the Electoral Process. This is a crucial matter. Zimbabweans are fast losing faith in elections because of mistrust. We need a clean and accurate voters roll. The roll must be freely available to interested persons and to all political parties. People must vote in a single day; the counting of votes must be done at the polling station immediately after voting ends. Violence must end.

Restore the Secrecy of the Ballot. Voting must take place in an atmosphere that ensures total secrecy. Our ballot boxes must change. We need to use translucent plastic ballot boxes of secure, single piece construction. The regime must stop abusing traditional leaders to coerce their subjects during elections.

Together, we shall win.

Morgan Tsvangirai
President, Movement for Democratic Change
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