Tsvangirai to launch MDC election campaign

By Tichaona Sibanda
19 February 2008

MDC President Morgan will this Saturday launch his party’s election campaign programme and manifesto at Sakubva stadium in Mutare, according to one of his top aides.

Party spokesman Nelson Chamisa told us they expect a bumper crowd at the launch this weekend, where a number of activities have been lined up.

‘Its going to be a big event for us because the President (Tsvangirai) will also launch both his presidential campaign programme as well as those for the parliamentary and council elections. All the top leadership of the party would be there including all our candidates for the forthcoming elections,’ Chamisa said.

Tsvangirai will also spell out the party’s plans for its first 100 days in office if the MDC gets elected into power. There are five key priority areas which the party hopes to tackle to bring back normalcy to the country.

Though Chamisa would not be drawn to disclose the contents of the manifesto, it is believed it dwells at length on economic stabilization and reconstruction, national intergration, law and justice and the need for a new constitution.

‘It’s a brilliant document and we have intelligence that Zanu-PF and other people have managed to clandestinely get hold of it and are busy plagiarising some of its contents,’ Chamisa added.

The manifesto, a policy document that has taken the MDC two years to draft, also summarizes the findings of the party on what needs to be done to stabilise the economy. Additionally it spells out how the party will bring about reconstruction and development with a complete restructuring of the economy and social systems.

The 185-page document sets out the MDC’s complete vision on the way forward and exactly how they expect to achieve set goals and ambitions. Analysts who have seen the document say it is one of the best policy documents to ever emerge from the country since Independence in 1980.