MDC-T used ARVs withdrawal threat as campaign tool

Nduduzo Tshuma Political Editor
THE MDC-T threatened Tsholotsho North villagers that non-governmental organisations would stop distributing Anti-Retroviral drugs if they voted for Professor Jonathan Moyo in the 2013 elections, a senior Zanu-PF official has revealed. MDC-T’s Roselyn Nkomo eventually won with a slight margin. She was expelled from Parliament in March along with 20 other MPs after they defected from the Morgan Tsvangirai led party to form the MDC Renewal.

Speaking at a Zanu-PF campaign feedback meeting in Tsholotsho on Tuesday, a member of the party’s Central Committee, Cde Alice Dube said the MDC-T coordinated its misinformation with some unscrupulous headmen and members of ward health committees.

Cde Dube said in their interaction with villagers during the campaign for the June 10 by election, they learnt that the MDC-T threatened that even if Prof Moyo brought development if he won, they (villagers) would die as the party would tell their NGO “friends” to stop providing ARVs.

“The villagers told us that they had been misled into thinking that the MDC-T had control in the distribution of ARVs in the area. They were told that they would die if they didn’t vote for the MDC-T because they would stop receiving the tablets from the NGOs,” said Cde Dube.

“This was happening right on the ground where the MDC-T co-ordinated with some headmen and members of ward health committees.”

Cde Dube said the party had since reported the matter to relevant government departments so that they disseminate correct information about the provision of ARVs.

“The villagers have been made aware that the provision of ARVs is a government programme and not of the MDC-T or NGOs. The MDC-T does not own any drugs, it is the government that provides those tablets. The villagers now understand that they were being misled,” she said.

“The villagers have indicated that they did not vote for Zanu-PF because of those threats. They were told that even if Prof Moyo won the elections and brought development to the area, they would all be dead because of the unavailability of the drugs.”

Another Central Committee member, Cde Alois Ndebele expressed confidence during the meeting that was attended by the Zanu-PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, that Prof Moyo would not only win back the seat but would do so with a huge margin.

“People are responding very well to our message. We go to them, tell them about our party and also listen to their problems. We are certain from the numbers that we have addressed during the campaign that we will win. We know that we will win, what we want is to win with a wide margin,” said Cde Ndebele.

Less than a month before the June 10 by election, Prof Moyo’s challengers Busani Ncube and Gertrude Sibanda, who registered as independents but confirmed links to the MDC-T and Renewal Team respectively, have not started campaigning.

Only Prof Moyo’s campaign posters and campaign teams can be seen in the constituency while the two other candidates seem to have disappeared.

Zanu-PF Matabeleland North provincial chairperson Cde Richard Moyo said the party had faith that in Prof Moyo, it had selected a suitable and qualified candidate to represent the constituency in Parliament.

He said the people had realised their mistake of voting for Nkomo and the MDC-T as she failed to champion their aspirations in her brief stint in Parliament.