Tsvangirai launches ‘Yes Vote’ campaign

GWERU – Heavy rains could not deter Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s launch of a “Yes Vote” campaign for the constitutional referendum scheduled for March 16.

Amidst a mid-afternoon downpour at Mkoba Stadium, MDC leader Tsvangirai said people should go in their numbers and vote for the draft constitution.

“We are here to launch the ‘Yes Vote’ campaign to the people of Gweru. The constitution draft is a victory for the people. Now you should go back to your communities and urge people to vote for the draft,” he said.

Speaking at the rally, Copac co-chair and the party’s spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said the new constitution is the passage to free and fair elections while reserving special praise to the Copac select team.

“In 1978, during the Muzorewa era, they wrote a constitution for Southern Rhodesia-Zimbabwe, that paved way for them to rule, before Mugabe came. They went and wrote the Lancaster Constitution and that set the stage for them to rule.

“This year, a new Copac constitution is coming in and by the end of the year, Save vari kuzotonga. When you go to vote remember, this constitution is the door and key to freedom. History repeats itself. For us to rule, we start with a new constitution,” he said.

Addressing thousands of party supporters at the rally, MDC secretary-general and Finance minister Tendai Biti said Zimbabweans should defend the new constitution because the preamble of the constitution was to put God first.

“Today (yesterday), is a historic day; we came with our president to launch the ‘Yes Vote campaign. The most important thing in this constitution is the preamble that we put God first.”

“As the MDC we are now 13 years old, and without the power of the Lord we wouldn’t be here, that preamble alone belongs to the MDC,” he said. Daily News