Happymore Chidziva
So far the MDC-T has launched the campaign in several parts of the Midlands province targeting senatorial constituencies. This was after the national event that was held in Harare and presided over by party president and former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
There was however some moments of anxiety after police tried to stop the event saying Transport minister Joram Gumbo who was having a soccer tournament in Mberengwa North, had sent word to the effect that he also wanted to use the same venue for his party business. The MDC-T youths resisted the order and the campaign went ahead as planned.
Addressing youths during the prize giving ceremony, MDC-T Youths Assembly chairperson Happymore “Leader Cde Bvondo” Chidziva said the destiny of young people depends on removing Mugabe from power next year to pave way for a new government led by Tsvangirai.
“I can see that there are a lot of young people here. Most of you are unemployed and you are not succeeding in pursuing your dreams. The reason why that is so is because Mugabe and his Zanu (PF) party have closed all opportunities for youths and ruined the country to an extent where the young people cannot have somewhere to start from. Now the solution to that crisis will just lie in you voting out the architects of your problems next year and those are Mugabe and Zanu (PF)” he said.
Chidziva implored youths to register to vote and dispel rumours that the biometric voter registration system is flawed and so people must boycott the process.
“When the voting process begins, lets all go there and register to vote. All our brothers and sisters here should throng the voter registration points so that come 2018, it becomes an endgame for Mugabe and Zanu (PF)” said the chairperson.
Said the top lawyer in an earlier interview with this publication: “The youths constitute quite a significant number of the population. Our target is that we have about 2 million youths of our p[arty supporters who register to vote and if that happens, the youths vote alone will dislodge Mugabe and Zanu (PF). The other votes from the old and other groups will just come to add to an already finished exercise.”
Bereka mwana tiende campaign is aimed at encouraging parents to urge their children , those between the age of 17-35 years to partake in national discourse, voter registration and the eventual vote for change in 2018, by voting for the party of excellence, MDC T and President Tsvangirai.
Within the same program and agenda, the youth Assembly has also other programs like the #99 campaign and the pioneer movement. These are programs aimed mainly to conscientise the youths on their obligation to participate in programs of national building and national leadership.
Did MDC lose the 2013 elections because people did not try to register to vote or was it that they tried and many failed. Those who did register they were still denied the vote because the regime posted the details in the wrong constituent voters’ roll or some such dirty trick?
Zanu PF rigged the 2013 elections as Tsvangirai himself readily admitted by noon of the voting day, 31 July 2013, before the voting was over! MDC have failed to get even one reform implemented to stop the vote rigging. They are throwing all the time and resources on voter education, voter registration, etc. because these are the easy task they can do.
Right now Zanu PF is dragging its feet on voter registration so it will carry out the exercise is such a mad dash many people will once again fail to register. And many of those who do register will, once again, find their details posted in wrong constituency voters roll; the regime is making sure there will be no time to check and get this put right. Deja vu!
People do not need to be lectured on how to vote they know how to vote already. They do not need to be lectured on why they should register to vote when all manner of obstacles are going to be put in their way to make it as difficult as possible for them to do so, etc.
Why are these opposition politicians helping the people solve minor or imaginary problems people can deal with on their own but are all shying away from the real big political problems the people are facing?
SADC have already said if Zanu PF are refusing to implement the reforms to make sure the elections are free and fair and thus solve the big political problem people are facing, the opposition and the people should not contest the flawed elections. It is the opposition politicians who are insisting on contesting the flawed elections!