MDC defers decision on talks to 16th December

By Tichaona Sibanda
5 December 2007

The MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai has ten days before it makes a decision on whether or not it will take part in next year’s elections, according to party spokesman Nelson Chamisa.

Speaking to Newsreel soon after the party’s extra ordinary meeting of the national executive, Chamisa said a meeting of their national council on the 16th December would ratify whether the party will sign a resolution with Zanu-PF.

Chamisa, the MDC MP for Kuwadzana, said his party has given Zanu-PF yet another chance to rescue the Zimbabwe crisis by agreeing to their demands. The MDC still demands that a new constitution be in place before the elections, as well as a new voters’ role.

Chamisa said; ‘You don’t just pull out of talks. This is a process and millions of Zimbabweans are banking on us to force Mugabe to deliver a free and fair election. If we walk out now, Mugabe will just go ahead with elections, but we will not let him decide our fate,’ Chamisa said.

The MDC spokesman noted that his executive was concerned with the deterioration of both the economic and humanitarian situation in the country, including the shortages of basic commodities and general erosion of incomes.

‘Violence is continuing unabated against democratic forces in the country.
Zanu-PF continues to institute a media blackout on the opposition with journalistic freedoms curtailed. As such we have outlined our demands to Mugabe and his party and it’s up to them to rescue the situation the country is in now,’ added Chamisa.

The national executive council tacitly agreed a new Constitution must be place before the March elections and that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has to be reconstituted, according to what was agreed in the Constitutional Amendment number 18 Bill.

Chamisa reiterated in the interview that their demands have remained the same, but during the past 6 months of talks Mugabe and Zanu-PF have ignored them. The regime has also unilaterally gone ahead and implemented decisions that tilt heavily in the ruling party’s favour in next year’s elections, despite the ongoing talks.