By Lance Guma
Exiled MDC-T Treasurer General Roy Bennett says he will go back to Zimbabwe and campaign for his party, but only if conditions for free and fair elections have been created. Bennett was a guest on SW Radio Africa’s Question Time programme and tackled several questions raised by listeners.
In May 2010 Bennett was acquitted by Justice Chinembiri Bhunu of trumped up terrorism, banditry and insurgency charges. The same judge however filed a law suit claiming Bennett defamed him in an online interview were he allegedly said the judge was biased.
With no confidence in the judiciary, Bennett left the country to embark on a global advocacy campaign for his party.
“I understand there are two arrest warrants. One is for contempt of court, the other is for perjury. It’s about the Generals running the country and repressing people they feel are a threat to them. Anybody who is effective is targeted. Politics is about grassroots support, constituencies and people’s votes,” he said.
Bennett said the persecution of MDC-T Youth Assembly chairman Solomon Madzore was an example of his point. Madzore has been in custody for over eight months facing what the party believe are discredited allegations he was part of a group that allegedly killed a policeman. The trial only began this week Monday.
Bennett believes Madzore and many like him are paying the price of being brave and effective in what they do, saying: “He is more damaging to them (ZANU PF) outside prison than sitting in a cell in Harare.”
In his own case Bennett believes ZANU PF will never forgive him because, as a former party member, he ‘delivered’ the entire ZANU PF structure in Chimanimani to the MDC when the party was formed in 1999. Bennett says he will stand as an MP in Chimanimani if people there still want him.
In the interview broadcast Wednesday evening Bennett also commented on the downgrading of MDC-T structures in the Diaspora, his reaction to former ZANU PF MP Tracy Mutinhiri joining the MDC-T and the way forward for the GNU among other issues. SW Radio Africa
The full interview with Roy Bennett: Click Here
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