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(NEWZIMBABWE) Election preparations on course: Tsvangirai

Election preparations on course: Tsvangirai
by Staff Reporter
08/08/2010 00:00:00

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says preparations for new elections are on course adding he was confident his MDC-T party would win the ballot and form the next substantive government.

Tsvangirai told party supporters during a rally at Old Lwendulo Grounds in Hwange that the coalition government was not working adding his party could only deliver on its pledges if it had the “full authority” to govern.

“The process of transition is an irreversible process to a free and fair election, because we can not continue to have this mule powered government as it is not doing much,” Tsvangirai said.

The MDC-T leader said only a new “free and fair” general election would solve what he described as a “governance crisis” in the country.

“This coalition is just a temporary arrangement. We want a permanent solution to the crisis of governance in this country,” he said

Parties to the coalition government appear resigned to holding fresh elections, possibly next year, after failing to reach agreement on a number of so-called outstanding issues in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA).

Tsvangirai however, insisted that the ongoing constitutional reform process should be completed to ensure the election outcome is not disputed.

However Dr Simba Makoni, leader of Mavambo Kusile Dawn (MKD) said the country does not need a new constitution to hold elections.

He dismissed the ongoing reform programme as an “entirely unnecessary, wasteful and unproductive exercise”.

“It was not the constitution that defeated the people in June 2008, it was the administration. Mugabe and Zanu (PF) deliberately went out to subvert the will of the people in March and June 2008.

“So our focus should be on what are the minimum requirements needed to have a free and fair election,” Makoni said.

The MKD leader said the draft charter was likely to represent ZANU PF views claiming people were not being given the chance to freely express their views.

“We are likely to end up with a Zanu (PF) constitution which will be cheated on the country because of the manipulation of the outreach programme.

“The only solution is to have a new election and we don’t need a new constitution to have an election,” Makoni said.

Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS (ZIMBABWE), MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI

posted by MrK @ 4:58 PM