1. ELECTIONS IN ZIMBABWE
1.1 COGNISANT of the insincerity of Zanu PF, the lack of paradigm shift and its insatiable appetite for power manifested by its decisive power retention agenda bordering on creating an atmosphere of pandemonium, panic and uncertainty in the body politick of our country,
1.2 RECALLING the humourless Zanu PF and President Mugabe’s statements calling for elections in 2012 regardless of the enactment of a new Constitution and the actualisation of the Roadmap to a free, fair, credible and legitimate election,
1.3 RECALLING the launch of Conditions for a Sustainable Election (CoSEZ) on the 8th of March 2012 and the need for the Zimbabwe parties to adhere to the peoples’ checklist for a sustainable election namely;
i. Implementation of the GPA and all other agreed positions
ii. Implementation of the post-Maputo resolutions
iii. Implementation of the Roadmap
iv. Implementation of agreed positions following the review of the GPA in May of 2011
v. Implementing Regional and International Standards
vi. The Constitution and the Constitution-Making Process
vii. Implementing Legislative Reform
viii. Eradicating political violence
ix. Strengthening Oversight Constitutional Commissions
x. The right to Freedom of Association, Assembly and Movement
xi. Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act
xii. Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act
xiii. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Staff
xiv. Amendments to the Electoral Law
xv. Postal and Special Voting
xvi. A New and Clean Voters Roll
xvii. Fair Delimitation of Constituencies
xviii. Liberalizing the Media
xix. Voter Education
xx. Agreement on the Proclamation of Elections
xxi. Implementing Measures to end Political Violence
xxii. Election Monitors and Observers
xxiii. Ensuring the Impartiality of Traditional Leaders
xxiv. Impartial Distribution of Food Aid
xxv. Strengthening the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC)
xxvi. Special Courts of Violence
xxvii. Independent Prosecuting Authority
xxviii. Security Sector Realignment
1.4 The Party reaffirms its earlier resolutions that elections in Zimbabwe cannot and will not be called for unilaterally by one person or one party and that the election in Zimbabwe will not be date driven but process driven.
1.5 The Party restates that the date for the next election will only be determined after the fulfilment of all the conditions precedence defined in the roadmap including;
1.6 The Party notes that any election which does not meet the above conditions will be a sham election.
2. VIOLENCE AND CLOSURE OF DEMOCRATIC SPACE
2.1 DISTURBED by the continued closure of democratic space in Zimbabwe characterised arbitrary and wanton arrests of MDC activists, the resurgence of politically motivated violence against MDC members in Sanyati, Mbare, Sunningdale and Zaka and the setting up of a base at Kasirisiri in Sanyati.
2.2 In addition, the Party notes that in March alone over 63 people were arrested, assaulted or severely harassed by Zanu PF, its infamy Chipangano hoodlums and its complicity criminal justice system.
2.3 DEEPLY CONCERNED by the continued unlawful and politically motivated incarceration of the MDC Youth Assembly Chairperson Solomon Madzore, National Executive Member Last Maengahama, Pheneas Nhatarikwa, Councillor Tungamirai Madzokera, Yvonne Musarurwa, Rebecca Mafukeni, Lazarus Maengahama, Stanford Maengahama, Stanford Mangwiro and others.
2.4 APPALLED by the racial statements by one Tendai Savanhu, the political godfather of the Chipangano group that he intends to eliminate all white people in Zimbabwe.
2.5 The Party therefore demands the immediate release of arrested cadres and in any event demands the expeditious due process with regards to those that have been arrested.
2.6 The MDC calls for the prosecution of all those responsible for politically motivated violence in accordance with the Global Political Agreements
3. INDIGENIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT
3.1 AWARE of Zanu PF machinations of asset stripping, looting, patronage, clientelism, corruption and self-aggrandizement euphemistically referred to as indigenisation and empowerment.
3.2 AWARE of Zanu PF’s enthusiasm for destruction and its manoeuvres to destroy the Zimbabwe economy through this programme of indigenization and empowerment.
3.3 DISGUSTED by the Minister of Youth, Saviour Kasukuwere’s proclamation in the public press on Thursday 5 April 2012 in which he announced that with immediate effect, 51 percent of all shareholding in mining companies was now vested with the State.
3.4 The Party boldly restates that Zanu PF’s programme does not comply with its own laws and is based on patronage and clientelism, is not demand driven and in any event is based on a narrow model of transferring shares to a few black elite that can afford them and does not amount to genuine wealth creation and distribution to poor people of Zimbabwe.
3.5 Furthermore, the MDC restates that Kasukuwere’s proclamation is null and void and in total breach of the Constitution and that Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans need jobs, investment and upliftment.
3.6 The Party therefore calls for the starting afresh of the whole programme and the development of a genuine broad based upliftment programme which balances the need to attract investment, grow the economy and create jobs.
4. DIAMONDS AND DIAMONDS REVENUE
4.1 The party notes with concern the day-light looting, robbery, thieving and lack of transparency and
due process in the handling of diamonds and diamonds revenue at Chiadzwa.
4.2 The MDC demands that all concessions and mining rights should be granted on the principle of transparency and openness involving public auctioning or public tender processes to be carried out by an independent authority.
4.3 That the current investors at Chiadzwa should comply with Zimbabwe’s laws, in particular the Zimbabwe Investment Act and should make equity investments and contributions to the State, failure of which their rights should revert to the State.
4.4 That all income from Chiadzwa should be accounted for transparently to the State to enable the same to attend to capital and recurrent expenditure and in particular the adequate remuneration of civil servants and the provision of drought mitigation grain.
5. SADC AND DIALOGUE IN ZIMBABWE
5.1 APPRECIATING the role of all SADC leaders in finding sustainable solutions to the Zimbabwe crisis particularly President Zuma and his Facilitation Team for remaining engaged with the crisis in Zimbabwe.
5.2 TAKING NOTE of SADC important resolutions on Zimbabwe reached in Maputo, Livingstone, Sandton and Luanda.
5.3 However, the Party notes the slow pace of movement and urges SADC to urgently appoint the three person committee from the SADC Organ Troika to work with Jomic and also to ensure that dialogue on the roadmap is concluded.
5.4 The Party expresses its disappointment with the slow and the non-implementation of the GPA, the post Maputo agreement and agreed portions of the roadmap and the Review Document and urges the urgent creation of an implementation and oversight mechanism, inside government and within SADC.
6. DROUGHT AND DROUGHT MITIGATION
6.1 NOTING the drought and lack of food emanating from poor and erratic rainfall across Zimbabwe.
6.2 RECOGNIZING the existence of vulnerable people in the country in particular in the communal areas and therefore accepts that Government must support these vulnerable people.
6.3 DISTURBED by the slow pace in the distribution of food-aid, the looting of the same by Cabinet Ministers and politicization of the Government’s Grain Loan Scheme by Zanu PF in direct contradiction to the dictates of the GPA.
6.4 The MDC calls on Government to issue a proclamation declaring drought a State disaster to allow for the provision of food-aid to reduce vulnerability in communities and households.
7. CONSOLING AND SALUTING THE PEOPLE OF MALAWI
7.1 DEEPLY SADDENED by the untimely death of His Excellency President Bingu Wa Mutharika.
7.2 RECALLING President Bingu Wa Mutharika’s wise counsel and remarkable efforts in finding solutions to the Zimbabwe political crisis.
7.3 The MDC congratulates Her Excellency Madam Joyce Hilda Banda on her ascension to the post of President of the Republic of Malawi and takes.
7.4 In this regard, the MDC joins SADC and the African Union in saluting the people of Malawi for ensuring an orderly transition by adhering to the Constitution particularly the army for not intervening in political processes.
8. CONGRATULATING THE PEOPLE OF SENEGAL
8.1 RECALLING the recently held elections in Senegal which were conducted in a free and fair manner.
8.2 The MDC congratulates the people of Senegal for conducting their elections in a peaceful manner and salute former President Abdoulaye Wade for graciously conceding defeat and ceding power peacefully ensuring an orderly transition.
8.3 The MDC congratulates His Excellency President Macky Sall on his election as the president of Senegal and wish him and the Senegalese people well.
9. CONDEMNING THE COUP IN MALI
9.1 DISTURBED by the unconstitutional removal of an elected government of President Amadou Toumani Toure in Mali through a military coup by junior soldiers led by one Captain Amadou Sanogo.
9.2 CONCERNED by the fact that military coups militate against democracy and democratization, are a reversal of gains by the Africa Union to inculcate a culture of democracy and development in Africa.
9.3 SALUTES the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) particularly President Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast for his leadership and for acting swiftly to impose comprehensive sanctions on the military junta and the latter’s decision to cede power.
Post published in: News