By Anna Chibamu
MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa told thousands of his supporters who marched through Harare streets demanding electoral reforms that next week will be decisive in their fight for key reforms ahead of this month’s elections.
The opposition coalition is demanding that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) address its demands regarding the voters’ roll and printing of the ballot paper.
Thousands of alliance supporters massed the streets of the capital Tuesday in a demonstration called by their leaders to up pressure on ZEC which has refused to budge saying the demands were outside the parameters of the law.
Zimbabwe goes to the polls in less than three weeks with the
Addressing the protestors, Chamisa warned the ruling Zanu PF party leader Emmerson Mnangagwa that no election would be conducted without reforms.
He however insisted that his alliance would not boycott the July vote.
The MDC-T leader told his supporters to be prepared to sleep in the streets if ZEC remains defiant.
“Next week is decisive if ZEC fails to implement reforms, no one will return home as we will sleep in the streets, either at ZEC or here at Africa Unity Square,” said Chamisa.
“Everyone will bring blankets to put up in the CBD until we are heard. It is going to be a national demonstration too as we will mobilise those from the rural.”
He added; “(Mnangagwa) will lose sleep over this issue of the ballot.
“If there is no movement, it means no sleeping at home. Over the years we have lost everything, but we are now prepared to protect our vote and our integrity.”
Chamisa boasted about having support from war veterans and revealed that his Alliance is aware that Zanu PF has brought 64 Russians to aid Mnangagwa in rigging the election.
“We know that ED (Mnangagwa) has brought in some foreigners from Russia. State agents have informed us about his plot.
“Let me warn him (Mnangagwa) that if he rigs this election, he is inviting instability in Zimbabwe. We are peaceful people; he must just accept that he has already lost the election.
“I want to warn him that we have Germans around who will do forensic testing on every ballot paper so there is no room for cheating on 30 July.
“There will be no run-off in this election and we will announce the results ourselves.”
