Biti criticised for election comments

By Nelson Sibanda

Tendai Biti’s inconsistent statements about how Zanu (PF) won the 2013 elections expose his political immaturity and lack of principles, say his critics.

Last year Biti, leader of the breakaway Renewal Team, was the most vocal among MDC-T officials about Zanu (PF)’s use of the Israeli Nikuv company to rig the elections, and other irregularities. But he told supporters at a recent rally that he was struggling to figure out how Zanu (PF) “won” the elections.

On July 31 last year Biti was recorded in a video clip protesting election rigging in Mt Pleasant, Harare, where some voters ferried by a Zupco bus from outside the constituency cast their votes.

“This is unbelievable blatant cheating. “We should file an urgent court application for the special vote here to be nullified,” he told election observers. He accused Zanu (PF) of stealing the election so massively that they Zanu (PF) were so embarrassed.

But he told a recent Southern African Political and Economic Series panel discussion that Zanu (PF) won the election because its ‘Bhora mugedhi’ campaign message resonated with the electorate and the MDC had “poor electoral messages”.

Last weekend he said: “We are still failing to figure out how Zanu (PF) did it because we thought they would use violence and we were prepared for that. The elections were conducted peacefully and we were left with egg on the face. We are still failing to figure out how Zanu (PF) won.”

Douglas Mwonzora, MDC-T spokesperson, said Biti was confused and accused him of praising Mugabe at every opportunity.

Zechariah Mushawatu, a political analyst, said Biti’s several recorded inconsistent statements about the elections exposed his lack of a clear political agenda.

Another analyst, Rejoice Ngwenya, said Biti could be in a knee-jerk reaction out of emotions caused by his expulsion from MDC-T. “Biti’s most recent statement that he was failing to understand how Zanu (PF) won the elections was consistent with what actually happened at the polls,” he said.

Though Biti could not be reached for comment, Jacob Mafume, spokesperson for the Renewal Team, denied inconsistency.

“The electoral process was a historical event which could not be explained in one word and simple answers. If one gives one reason for the outcome of the historical event he would be telling people falsehoods. It is a complex issue,” said Mafume. The Zimbabwean