MDC ready for elections, says Biti

HARARE - Tendai Biti, secretary-general of the mainstream MDC, says his party is ready for an election after what he described as attempts by Zanu-PF to
create irreconcilable differences within the unity government.

In a statement Tuesday night, Biti said it was clear Zanu-PF was creating conditions for a total breakdown of the inclusive government.

"Zanu-PF cannot continue to have their cake and eat it," said Biti. "They cannot continue to be normative members of this government when in fact they
are working against it at every turn. It is simple. Either they are in or they are out.

"If they are in, the onus is on them to cease their violations of the laws of Zimbabwe , start respecting our party President and implement the commitments they signed up to in the GPA. If they are out, then bring on the election."

Biti said in the last four weeks, following the Zanu-PF congress, the country had seen an acceleration of destruction and "insanity on the part of the former ruling party."

This, he said, had been manifested in unlawful farm invasions, disobedience of lawful court orders, vitriol against the President of the MDC and intransigence at the negotiating table.

He said Zanu-PF continued to use the public media, the constitutional process, the commercial farms, the diamond mines and the civil service as the battlefields for a destructive agenda aimed at perpetuating their
selfish grip on power.

Zanu-PF, he said, had also committed itself to conducting an overt onslaught against the person, principles and agenda of the president of the MDC,
Morgan Tsvangirai, to thwart his vision of delivering real change to the people of Zimbabwe.

Tsvangirai is Prime Minister in the inclusive government following a powersharing deal with Zanu-PF's President Robert Mugabe and Arthur Mutambara of the smaller faction of the MDC.

Biti said his MDC had instead unleashed positive energy in the inclusive government for the benefit of all Zimbabweans to restore basic services, and deliver hope and real change to our nation.

"Despite the sincerity we have displayed (some would say naivety) and the legitimacy we bring to the government as a result of the overwhelming support we have from the people of this great country, Zanu-PF has refused to acknowledge that their failed policies of the past have been soundly rejected by the masses and that process of change is irreversible," said
Biti.

Last week, Zanu-PF declared it would not make any concessions in the ongoing negotiations on issues left unresolved after the signing of the Global Political Agreement between the three parties.

The stance raised fears the inclusive government, established in February last year, could collapse.

"This government was born out of hope, courage and the commitment of the people to peaceful, democratic change," said Biti. "It is clear that Zanu PF is trying to strangle this fledgling authority on its first birthday and if they continue their regressive policies they must be prepared to take full responsibility for the irretrievable breakdown of the inclusive government."

On its part, the MDC announced the negotiations have reached a deadlock.

Among other issues, the MDC has demanded that the appointments of Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono and the Attorney general Johannes Tomana be
revoked. The party also wants Deputy-Minister of Agriculture Roy Bennett, facing treason charges, to be sworn in to his government post.

The MDC also wants members of the party appointed to positions of provincial governors.

On other hand, Zanu-PF accuses the MDC of failing to advocate for the lifting of sanctions imposed on Mugabe, senior government officials and other party members.

The MDC says it had no role in the imposition of the sanctions in the first place, and that it, therefore, has no responsibility over the removal of the sanctions.

Biti said Zimbabweans were tired of political bickering and their hope for 2010 was that all members of the inclusive government would have one common vision, that of rebuilding our economy, creating jobs, restoring food security and promoting the people's freedoms.

Biti said: "Zanu-PF must, however, understand that there is a price to everything. The inevitable consequence of their homicidal actions would be the holding of free and fair elections under the protection and supervision of SADC to ensure that the dreams of the people are never again dashed nor denied.

"The MDC is ready for this election."  - Zimbabwe Times