Tsvangirai says we won the elections

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday told a provincial council in Mutare that his party had won the 31 July elections but it had been robbed of its victory by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front.

“We won this election, Mugabe knows it. ZANU-PF knows it. The international community knows it. This was a massive fraud. The biggest question is what then is the way forward? What can we do as MDC? Interestingly, they (ZANU- PF) were already ready for us before we even reacted -(referring to police deployment everywhere).

“Some of you are scared of how they will spend the next five years under ZANU- PF leadership. Let me assure you that we will never betray the struggle of the people to have democracy. ZANU- PF can do all it wants but this time we won’t join them.

“They can’t force us to accept defeat when we know that we won the election and they know it. We are together till we win the fight,” Tsvangirai said.

The MDC, which controlled Manicaland in the 2008 elections, lost the province to ZANU-PF and the loss has been attributed to the imposition of candidates by the party leadership.

Although the Southern African Development Community and the African Union have played a major role in the Zimbabwe peace process, Tsvangirai said the legitimacy of last month’s elections could not be determined by SADC or the AU but by the Zimbabwean people.

“Legitimacy does not come from outside. It comes from the people of Zimbabwe. AU, SADC and the outside will only give superficial legitimacy. It is the people of Zimbabwe who should legitimise an election,” he said.

In the MDC’s own words:

We won this Election – President Tsvangirai

The only solution to the current crisis is to have another election, the Prime Minister has said. Addressing Provincial Council delegates at Queens Hall in Mutare yesterday. President Morgan Tsvangirai said real legitimacy of the election will come from the people of Zimbabwe. “Legitimacy does not come from outside. It comes from the people of Zimbabwe. AU, SADC and the outside will only give superficial legitimacy. It is the people of Zimbabwe who should legitimise an election,” he said.

The President explained to the people that Mugabe can rig an election but he can’t rig the economy. “If Mugabe really won the election, he should deliver what he promised to the people. If he succeeds, I will shake his hands and tell him that he really won the election. The truth of the matter is he can rig an election but he can’t rig the economy,” said president Tsvangirai.

President Tsvangirai assured the people that he will not betray the struggle of the people to have democracy. “We won the election but they stole our vote. What Zanu PF doesn’t know is that they have made us stronger, more positive and more robust,” he said.

“Zanu PF knew very well it could never win a free and fair election. The election was lost 20years ago when the military took over election process from the civilians. When voter registration was taken over from civilian, we should have known what it meant. When people’s names were recorded by traditional leaders, we should have known what it meant,” said president Tsvangirai.

The President said it is amazing that even Zanu PF is still in a state of shock. “They can’t even celebrate. Their biggest challenge is how to garner legitimacy when the whole country is in national mourning,” he said

The President said everyone was hopeful for change adding that there was mass disenfranchisement through the voters roll, displacement of voters names, bussing of people, fake ink, chaotic special vote and some police officers given more ballot papers.

“We won this election, Mugabe know it. Zanu PF knows it. The international community knows it. This was a massive fraud. The biggest question is what then is the way forward? What can we do as MDC? Interestingly, they (Zanu PF) were already ready for us before we even reacted -(referring to police deployment everywhere).

“Some of you are scared of how they will spend the next 5 years under Zanu PF leadership. Let me assure you that we will never betray the struggle of the people to have democracy. Zanu PF can do all it wants but this time we won’t join them,” he said.

“They can’t force us to accept defeat when we know that we won the election and they know it. We are together till we win the fight,” the president added.

Speaking at the same occasion the provincial chairman Julius Magarangoma assured the people that they will remain strong and resilient until a new democratic government is delivered. “If Zanu PF thought they had dealt with us for good, they lied to themselves. We have gained more courage than ever before,” he said.

He explained that simply because no one was killed it does not legitimise the election. “Simply because no one was killed, it does not mean the election was free and fair. People were heavily intimidated and there was massive fraud,” he said.

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