By Alois Vinga

THE MDC Alliance has fielded at least 92% candidates for the forthcoming by-elections amid high expectations of scooping victory on the strength.

Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com this week, MDC Alliance president, Douglas Mwonzora expressed hope of winning the by-elections set for next month.

“The party has managed to field 92% of the candidates for the national assembly. We, however, failed to meet deadlines for only two of our candidates in Mwenezi because the alliance partner who was expected to file candidates did not do so,” he said.

“Another anomaly was also experienced in Mberengwa South and almost similar challenges were encountered,” he said.

For the local government elections, Mwonzora said, the party fielded at least 77% and was largely affected by aspiring candidates who did not appear on the voter’s roll.

“Some of the candidates had their residential addresses mixed-up as they appeared in wards they were not registered in the previous elections. In Mashonaland Central, we later realised that the three candidates that we were banking on were, in fact, infiltrators who later disappointed us at the last minute, “he said.

Questioned on what makes him optimistic to achieve victory considering the “fierce” threats being posed by the ruling Zanu PF party and the newly formed Citizens Coalition for Change, Mwonzora said: “I don’t think there are any threats. The people generally are interested in our brand, our message of dialogue, a new political approach, one which is non-violent and anti-hate.

“We are reaping from the fact that the previous confusion centered around our brand since the untimely passing on of our great leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, the brand was immersed in unnecessary dirt. So I am glad that we are now going back to our past ideology of social democracy. We are pro-people, pro-poor and anti-austerity.”