MDC’s season of democratic resistance gathers momentum

By Tichaona Sibanda
16 May 2006

The MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai has launched its second phase of intense mobilisation by venturing into rural Zimbabwe before finally embarking on a season of democratic resistance.

The planned mass protests, dubbed ‘the cold season of democratic resistance’ by Tsvangirai are already gathering momentum in the country and are expected soon after the intense mobilisation of the party in rural areas. Analysts believe this exercise could take a whole month.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told us from Harare, Tuesday that the intense mobilisation of the rural constituency kicks off this Saturday with a star rally in Gokwe in the Midlands province. Other rallies lined-up this weekend are in Bikita and Gutu, all Zanu (PF) strongholds.

Chamisa was quick to discount long held views that the ruling party enjoys most of its support from the rural populace. And this will also be the first time that the top MDC leadership will have set foot in rural Zimbabwe since the March congress, although they have addressed over 30 rallies in urban areas in this time.

‘It is fallacy for anyone to suggest that rural areas are predominantly Zanu (PF). In fact it is the other way round. They entice people in rural areas to vote for them using intimidatory tactics and withholding food from them, otherwise they are weak in rural areas,’ Chamisa said.

According to Chamisa, party President Morgan Tsvangirai and his top lieutenants will criss-cross the vast rural landscape reaching out to ‘get the correct gospel and mobilise the people to deal with fear and neutralise the element of traditional leaders who have been abused by Zanu (PF).’
He said, “In other words our message to them is that democratic resistance is not only the preserve of those in urban areas. We expect them to play a role in dismantling the dictatorship and to that end we are going to be quite visible in rural areas in the coming weeks.”