About 15 000 people turned up at the MDC’s 10th anniversary celebratory rally at Chipadze stadium in Bindura on Sunday while thousands more attended 317 rallies held at ward level in several parts of the country.
In his keynote address to the thousands who thronged the 10th anniversary rally in Bindura, the MDC secretary-general Hon Tendai Biti said the party had decided to be part of the inclusive government in order to salvage the deteriorating political, social and economic situation in the country.
“We did not join anyone’s government. We won the election on 29 March 2008 but the defeated refused to hand over power. The inclusive government is an instrument of soft-landing the crisis so that we can alleviate the suffering of the people pending a new Constitution and free and fair elections,” he said.
Hon Biti said the MDC was concerned with improving the lives of the people and that is why the MDC President and Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister, Hon Morgan Tsvangirai had entered on a three-week international tour to re-engage the international community so that Zimbabwe would rejoin the family of nations.
“He is working hard to improve the people’s lives and the people of Zimbabwe know the obstacles he is facing from the residual elements who are refusing to recognise the new authority in town,” he said.
He blasted the service chiefs, who he said had made it abundantly clear that they were fighting change, progress and development by refusing to accord respect to the Prime Minister.
The MDC secretary-general said the tide of change was irreversible, adding that President Robert Mugabe himself was Prime Minister before he became the country’s President.
“There is no going back. Morgan Richard Tsvangirai will win a free and fair election and we all know that Zimbabwe’s template is such that you become Prime Minister first before you become President,” the MDC secretary-general said to rapturous applause.
Before the MDC secretary-general took to the podium, the stadium reverberated to the din of delegates shouted “Gono must go! Tomana must go!”
Hon Biti said the MDC’s position on the two was clear that they should resign in the national interest, but said he would not be drawn into getting into the details of the matter.
The MDC national conference resolved on 31 May 2009 that Reserve Bank of Governor Gideon Gono and Attorney-General Johannes Tomana must resign “forthwith.”
Hon Biti urged the MDC structures to remain resolute and brace themselves for elections that are scheduled once a people-driven Constitution-making process takes place.
Addressing the same crowd, the deputy secretary-general Hon Tapiwa Mashakada paid tribute to the people of Mashonaland Central by sticking to the party in times of violence.
He said the MDC’s decision to join the inclusive government was merely a decision to continue fighting for change and democracy in a new arena.
“We are only 10 years old but we already control all the major towns and cities, we have the majority of councillors, we control Parliament and we have ministers of government,” he said.
The rally was also attended by the national organising secretary Engineer Elias Mudzuri, his deputy Hon Morgan Komichi, the national youth chairman Hon Thamsanqa Mahlangu, provincial leaders, MPs, councillors and senators.
The 10th anniversary celebrations are being held under theme “Celebrating a decade of courage, conviction and leadership.” The next provincial 10th celebratory rally will be held on 28 June 2009 in Midlands North province.
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