Seventh anniversary celebrations for MDC set for Sunday

By Tichaona Sibanda
6 October 2006

The Movement for Democratic Change, founded in 1999 celebrates its seventh anniversary at the Zimbabwe grounds in Highfield, Harare on Sunday. Formed as a party that embraces liberal and other democratic principles on the 11th of September 1999, the MDC will celebrate seven difficult years under an unrepentant dictatorship, its party spokesman Nelson Chamisa said Friday.

In a statement, Chamisa said the occasion will attract thousands of MDC supporters both in and outside Harare, provincial leaders from across the 12 provinces as well as national executive and standing committee members. Morgan Tsvangirai, the party President is expected to give the keynote address at the carnival ceremony which will be interspersed with music and drama from various groups.

‘On Sunday, we will celebrate the resilience of the people of Zimbabwe in the face of visible signs of collapse which include a high inflation rate that continues to skyrocket, a collapsed health and education system, a life expectancy of 34 years, massive corruption in all sectors of the economy and an acute shortage of foreign currency for critical imports such as power, fuel and medicines,’ Chamisa said.

The MDC, said Chamisa, bears visible scars after only seven years in existence while at the same time it ‘remembers and salutes the thousands of our supporters who perished at the hands of Zanu PF such as Learnmore Jongwe, Talent Mabika and Tichaona Chiminya, to mention but a few; we remember the thousands whose houses were burnt and destroyed by this government and the millions who have fled their motherland to seek refuge elsewhere and to work in dehumanising and degrading conditions.’

He added; ‘We remember the pain and tears of our supporters over the past seven years as Zanu PF went on the rampage across the country and unleashed unprecedented violence on those suspected of sympathising with the MDC. Ours has been a tough struggle against a dictatorship determined to remain in perpetual combat with the ordinary people of Zimbabwe. The MDC has shown its resilience under one of the most vicious dictatorships and the fact that we are still existing bears testimony to the determination of the people of Zimbabwe to save their country. Our cause is just and we continue to survive the detours, impediments and set-backs authored by the dictatorship’.