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the US Supreme Court and was dubbed “MDC on Elections”; the third that carried the First Amendment icon was dubbed “MDC on Free Speech” while the last dubbed MDC on Rule of Law carried a gavel, a symbol normally used to denote the same court.
The MDC-T manifesto also carries borrowed images with the most prominent one being the picture on the inside of the cover that depicts a woman planting a tree. The picture of the South African woman was taken by Anke Van Wyk of Port Elizabeth, South Africa and uploaded on the website www.dreamtimes.com on April 24 2009.
Several readers who responded to the story The Herald website criticised the MDC-T leadership for shunning Zimbabwean symbols.
“An election manifesto is not easy to craft. It calls for education and experience,” posted one reader who used the name Zimbabwe United.
“If you craft in anger or with your mind on unwitting your opponents and not telling your true political agenda, it turns into a disastrous failure.
“Honestly, l have not read it so far. I think even without reading it l have a fair appreciation of what the British and Americans would want said to the voters.”
“It is enough to know the Zanu-PF manifesto and once one understands it, the MDC-T manifesto by definition is all the opposite of what Zanu-PF sets itself to do for the people of Zimbabwe.”
Another reader using the name Drudge Report said: “Even if it was printed in the USA it pales in comparison to shear incompetence and blatant disrespect shown by the MDC in their manifesto.
“Why would a Zimbabwean party manifesto have an American map, American Supreme Court building and other American symbols of power. Kana tozoti puppets moti takamarker MDC-T.
“This is so shameless. Is this why the manifesto is only 40 pages of pictures? The majority being the rehashed 100 day plan, Juice and Art and a slew of plagiarised foreign pictures! Pathetic indeed.’’
One Wezhira added: “What a shame. I am not Zanu-PF or MDC but this is not acceptable. A whole map of USA while Mudhara Mukuru says MDC is weak and will lose this year.”
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora was at pains to explain why the pictures were posted on the website and their subsequent removal.
“Our website was under re-construction and it is not yet in its final form,” he said.
Analysts said the foreign images vindicated reports that the MDC-T was not in control of its campaign material which was reportedly being coordinated by the party’s western handlers after Harvest House failed to draft a manifesto.
Online Reporter