Categories: Stories

MDC wants presidential elections only next year

The Movement for Democratic Change led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai today said the country should hold presidential elections only next year with parliamentary elections being held in 2013.

This was one of the decisions reached by the party’s national executive committee and national council which also decided that the party will hold its congress  by 30 May next year.

The party said the council  had noted and restated the position that an election in Zimbabwe should be held to deal with the question of illegitimacy associated with the farcical Presidential run-off election of June 2008.

“For the avoidance of doubt, council resolves that the next election should be solely for the disputed Presidential election of 2008 with a harmonised election to be held in 2013 as prescribed in the Constitution,” the party said.

 “Further, council restates that ZANU- PF nor its President do not have the right of unilaterally calling for the aforesaid Presidential election and that Article 23.1.b of the GPA and the 8th Schedule of the Constitution which requires agreement, should be respected.”

Zimbabwe held its last elections in 2008 in which ZANU-PF and the MDC were almost tied in the lower house with the MDC winning 100 seats, ZANU-PF 99, MDC-M 10 and Jonathan Moyo walking away with one seat as an independent.

Tsvangirai beat Robert Mugabe in the presidential elections but failed to attain the required majority  necessitating a re-run which Tsvangirai pulled out of because of the violence that was unleashed by ZANU-PF.

The 2008 elections were harmonised with voters electing the president, members of parliament and councillors at one goal.

It was not clear, therefore,  what the MDC meant by saying that harmonised elections will be held in 2013 if presidential elections are held next year.

(23 VIEWS)

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

Recent Posts

ZiG loses steam, falls against US dollar for five consecutive days

The Zimbabwe Gold fell against the United States dollar for five consecutive days from Monday…

November 22, 2024

Indian think tank says Starlink is a wolf in sheep’s clothing

An Indian think tank has described Starlink, a satellite internet service provider which recently entered…

November 18, 2024

ZiG firms against US dollar for 10 days running but people still do not have confidence in the currency

Zimbabwe’s new currency, the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), firmed against the United States dollars for 10…

November 16, 2024

Zimbabwe among the top countries with the widest gap between the rich and poor

Zimbabwe is among the top 30 countries in the world with the widest gap between…

November 14, 2024

Can the ZiG sustain its rally against the US dollar?

Zimbabwe’s battered currency, the Zimbabwe Gold, which was under attack until the central bank devalued…

November 10, 2024

Will Mnangagwa go against the trend in the region?

Plans by the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front to push President Emmerson Mnangagwa to…

October 22, 2024