The MDC Alliance has expressed concern at what it says desperate attempts by the ruling Zanu PF to stop party president Nelson Chamisa from meeting the people following violent attacks on his convoy in Masvingo and Manicaland recently.
Addressing journalists in Harare this morning, party vice president Tendai Biti said the party has been a victim of attacks from the ruling party since last year’s Supreme Court ruling.
“The fact is you can’t stop change, transformation when it is the hour of transformation. We are seriously concerned that the attacks on our president are consistent with the attacks that we have seen on our party since the 30th of March 2020 when that Supreme Court judgement was handed down.
“We have seen vicious attack on our party, the withdrawal of Members of Parliament and Councillors, the taking over of our party head office, the multi charges brought against every one of our top leadership, the vice presidents, secretary general, and the organising secretary. Virtually everyone so we have seen the de facto banning of the MDC under the guise of COVID regulations we are not allowed to move across the length and breadth of Zimbabwe yet Zanu is moving organising its internal activities,” said Biti
He said the MDC Alliance is paying the price for its strong showing during the disputed 2018 election which makes it a threat to Mnangagwa’s consolidation of power.
“Mr. Mnangagwa is opening tuckshops literary every day and crowds are attending those meetings so it’s a de facto ban of our movements and the reason is very simple Mr. Mnangagwa did not win the 2018 elections, he lacks legitimacy so he is punishing us for winning and beating him in the 2018 elections but the bans have not succeeded.
“The takeover of Harvest House has not prevented us from breathing. The party is alive and is kicking, should president Chamisa allowed to hold a rally there will be 200000 people even goats and snake would attend that rally and that’s a fact.
“What concerns us is that Zanu PF is graduating from the defacto physical ban to elimination, to assassination attempts so they are upping the gear because they are afraid of 2023 than they are of 2018 so we urge on state security agents to do the job they are supposed to do in terms of section 205, 206 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which is to protect the citizens of Zimbabwe which is to protect ordinary men and women not the interests of a narrow elite located in a political party,” he said.
