Free and fair election fever grips nation

heir voice to the increasing national chorus demanding a level playing field ahead of the watershed elections scheduled for next year.
The rallies, dubbed ‘Free and Fair election rallies’, are being held throughout the country and will culminate in two major rallies to be held soon in Bulawayo and Harare. Similarly successful rallies have already been held in Mutare, Masvingo, Gokwe and Chinhoyi.
On Saturday, about 10 000 people turned up at Dombotombo in Marondera to make their demand for free and fair elections. On Sunday, another big crowd gathered in Redcliff for a morning rally while about 25 000 people, including former Zanu (PF) stalwart and Zvishavane MP, Pearson Mbalekwa, turned up for an afternoon rally at Mkoba Stadium in Gweru to make a bold statement to Robert Mugabe and his government that only a free and fair election and a change of government would ensure a new and better Zimbabwe.
The MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai, Secretary-General and Harare East MP Tendai Biti and Women’s Assembly chairperson Lucia Matibenga, addressed the three rallies and listened to the increasing national demand for a level playing field as a prerequisite for free and fair polls.
The leaders said despite Zanu (PF)’s machinations to steal the people’s vote, a large turn-out in next year’s polls would make it difficult for the regime to gag the deafening national chorus for change.
Tsvangirai said elections were the only opportunity for the people to change the government and vote for food, jobs, respect for basic freedoms and guaranteed national prosperity, which could only be brought by an MDC government. He said the MDC was taking advantage of every opportunity to make sure that Zimbabweans get a chance to express themselves through democratic polls.