MDC-T leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai warned Thursday that his party would consider boycotting the next elections if media and security sector reforms are not implemented before the key vote. The MDC-T leader was speaking in Bulawayo during a visit which officials said was aimed at assessing “the impact of challenges faced by the community and clear grey areas on the party’s position on the resuscitation of the economy”. Tsvangirai – who has been pressing for the elections to be delayed to allow implementation of the reforms – slammed a Constitutional Court ruling last Friday ordering the polls to be held by July 31. And in an address to local leaders civic organisations in Bulawayo the MDC-T chief insisted that credible elections were not feasible before October. “We are worried about some individuals manipulating the courts on the issue of elections,” he said. “In responding to an individual applicant you want to marginalise and undermine the rights of millions of Zimbabweans because you have not fulfilled certain constitutional positions required by the constitution before holding an election. “We need media reforms, we want a partial and non-partisan State media and a security sector which is professional and that does not campaign for any political party. “We want a voter registration for anyone who wants to vote in the election and therefore voters must not be disenfranchised whether an alien or first time voter, they must be allowed to vote in terms of the constitution. “The old constitution is very clear as far as Amendment Number 19 is concerned. It says the President and Prime Minister shall decide and consult each other and I was not consulted.” He said if President Robert Mugabe insisted on complying with the court order, the MDC-T would consider boycotting the vote. “President Mugabe says he is going to comply with the court ruling but it is not practical if the outcome is not going to be contested,” he said. “We might consider boycotting in the absence of media and security sector reforms. We can only have a free and fair credible election by end of October not within six weeks.” However, Zanu PF spokesman, Rugare Gumbo, said an MDC-T boycott would not stop the elections. “We are not going to postpone the elections because the decision by the court is final. If Tsvangirai says he wants to boycott he can go ahead,” gumbo told state media.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:27:06 +0000
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