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Zvamaida Murwira : Senior Reporter
The MDC-T national council that met on Wednesday was deadlocked on whether to lift its election boycott stance which has seen the opposition party surrendering to Zanu-PF parliamentary and council seats that it had won in the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections. Some of the national council members felt that it was high time the election boycott was lifted ahead of the 2018 harmonised polls while others felt that the conditions were still not yet ripe, according to sources that attended the meeting.The opposition party deliberated on elections with some saying it was time to go for future election races while others maintained that the conditions had not changed.
“What was at issue was whether it was not high time to lift the election boycott and start preparing for general elections in earnest. We failed to agree because some said there was need to push for more reforms. Others felt that time was running out for us,” said a source in the national executive.
Another bone of contention was whether the election boycott was an effective tool.
“Some felt boycotting had cost the party in terms of its strength after Zanu-PF won in all seats previously held by the MDC-T. Questions were raised on why did the party think that it could get a concession while outside Government when it failed to push for such reforms while it was in Government during the inclusive Government,” another source said.
The issue of whether to lift the boycott stance was eventually deferred to allow for further deliberations.
“It was agreed that there be a committee led by the election directorate headed by Mr Murisi Zwizwai to come up with minimum conditions,” said a source.
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu confirmed that the issue of elections was discussed, but declined to divulge details.
“Of course, some of the nitty-gritties of our deliberations are not for public consumption. It would be folly for us to disclose our strategies to our main political foe, Zanu-PF,” Mr Gutu said.
He claimed that the MDC-T was united in their quest to win elections.
“The MDC is now more united and focused than ever before. We are looking at the bigger picture. We want to democratically take over State power from Zanu-PF. Of course, the issues of electoral reforms and preparations for election 2018 are always central to our discourse whenever the national executive and the national council meet.
“We appreciate that the electoral playing field remains very uneven and tilted in favour of Zanu-PF. We are acutely aware of this and trust me, we will never allow Zanu-PF to force the people of Zimbabwe into an election whose result is pre-determined. The MDC is not going to be driven like sheep to the slaughter. Once beaten, twice shy,’’ said Mr Gutu.
Online Reporter