MDC calls for setting up of a national transitional authority

Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change has called for the establishment of a national transitional authority to steer the country back to legitimacy.

It made the demand in a petition which it said was handed over to the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda today and was copied to the Southern African Development Community chairperson Hage Geingob of Namibia, the African Union Chairperson Paul Kagame and Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front leader Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Though in the petition the party said the country needed a transitional authority because its 30 July elections fell short of the minimum standards, all the people the petition was addressed to have accepted the elections as free, fair and credible and recognise Mnangagwa as the legitimate President of the country.

Mudenda kicked members of the opposition out of Parliament last week after they refused to rise when Mnangagwa walked into the House.

Defending his decision to expel the members, Mudenda said: “….. I think it was necessary that where Hon. members cannot respect the Head of State who is the head of everyone; the whole international community has accepted that His Excellency the President, Hon. E. D. Mnangagwa is the Head of State of Zimbabwe, so, no other person, including Hon. members, can be allowed to have a different view all together.”

Other demands that the party made included constitutional reform, demonetization of the bond note, ending Zimbabwe’s international isolation, scrapping of the two percent money transfer tax.

It also called for the liberalization of the exchange rate, something that does not seem to add up if the bond note is removed.

The petition was handed over after today’s demonstration more or less confirming aspersions made by ZANU-PF officials that the MDC is desperate to form a government of national unity.

ZANU-PF secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu, said on Tuesday he had a recording where MDC leader Nelson Chamisa admitted losing the elections and was trying to get him to talk about the post of Vice-President.

Mnangagwa has rejected the idea of a government of national unity on several occasions but has said he is willing to talk to the opposition and is prepared to create the post of Leader of Opposition which will be paid by the State.

His spokesman George Charamba said a “key pre-condition to the talks is that there must be a recognition of ED as the winner of the 2018 elections … there are no two ways about that”.

Chamisa is now a lone figure with all his top lieutenants either in the House of Assembly or the Senate.

Attached is the petition in full.

MDC Petition 29 November 2018

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