MDC Statement on National Council meeting

MDC spokesman Kurauone Chihwayi

The Economy

The National Council noted the continuing deterioration of the national economy currently acutely manifested by the cash shortages which in turn are further placing strains on the productive sectors that are already on the verge of complete meltdown. Council expressed concern on the absence of any visible government plan to arrest the situation.

The Council noted the continued job losses as businesses continue to fail, downsize and in many cases close altogether. These job losses are a living example of the ZANU PF broken promises on job creation through which the electorate was hoodwinked into believing that ZANU PF was capable of creating 2 million jobs when in fact all the evidence showed that it had capacity only to mismanage and implement policies which result in job losses.

Drought

Council noted the complete crop failure in many parts of the country notwithstanding the plentiful late rains. This means that the country is facing the reality of severe food shortages particularly for rural Zimbabweans and the urban vulnerable and yet government seems to be in a state of paralysis and unable to articulate any emergency plans on grain importations to avert the situation and the impending hunger for millions of citizens.

The Constitution

Council noted the snail pace in the harmonisation of national laws to the new constitution and the blatant acts of violations and non-implementation of many provisions of the new constitution such as those on devolution, national healing and reconciliation. Council demanded that the ZANU PF government respect the will of millions of Zimbabweans who adopted the Constitution in the Referendum by faithfully implementing each and every clause of the constitution.

Electoral reforms

Council reaffirmed the party’s boycott of all by -elections until all reforms agreed to during the Inclusive government have been fully implemented particularly those on the independence of ZEC, transparent and accessible voter registration and production and availing of an accurate voter’s roll. Council tasked the Standing Committee to work with other democratic parties to ensure that maximum pressure is exerted on government to fully implement all electoral reforms long before the 2018 elections.

Corruption

The National Council expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which institutions of accountability and integrity are handling graft cases in the country, ranging from the civil service rot to the missing $15 billion diamond money.

Party Affairs

Council received reports from various committees including the Standing Committee, Organising, Information and Publicity, Congress preparations Committee and Planning and Strategy Implementation Committee. Council duly noted these reports and instructed the Standing Committee to expedite the processes for the convening of the party congress during the course of the year and authorised the composition of delegates to congress. The Council also instructed provinces to work on recruitment, party building and mobilisation programmes which prioritised community based issues.

Council noted the vote of no confidence passed on the former Secretary General Moses Mzila Ndlovu by the Standing Committee and endorsed it. It also noted the petition against the leadership of the President by a few members of Council based in Bulawayo and the subsequent suspension by the National Disciplinary Committee of some of them pending appearance before the committee on misconduct charges.

Council expressed full confidence in the leadership of the President, Vice President and the rest of the leadership collective.

Coalition/ Alliance Building

Council noted the Standing Committee report on various efforts among opposition parties to build alliances and coalitions and mandated the Presidency and Secretariat working in conjunction with the Standing Committee to seek ways and means of working with all willing democratic opposition parties and broader civil society so as to find solutions to the mounting challenges that are facing our country.

Kurauone Chihwayi
MDC National Spokesperson