The MDC has decided to participate in a presidential run off. Many of our subscribers would support them in this decision. However, many of these same subscribers want to see the run off happen only if certain conditions are met. These are similar to the MDC’s own conditions, including:

• Run-off to take place within two weeks, not later than 23rd May
• Cessation of violence
• Unfettered access for international observers
• SADC peacekeeping force on the ground
• Re-constitution of ZEC
• Free press – local and international

But the deadline for when the run off should have been (no later than three weeks after the presidential results were announced – namely 23 May) is fast approaching, and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission can only say it will announce the date “later.” It also says it’s broke – and has no money to hold a run off. Never mind that it knew a run off was a possibility, and should have budgeted accordingly.

True, a run off would be costly, and would put this already bankrupt country even further in debt. But a run off is what is required by law. And lack of funds didn’t stop the government from paying off war veterans, or financing a war in the DRC, or buying bakkies for chiefs and tractors for new farmers in blatant vote buying schemes . . .

So clearly lack of funds isn’t the real reason this run off isn’t happening.

It isn’t happening because Mugabe doesn’t want it to happen. He’s got no interest in pursuing anything that even vaguely resembles genuine democracy. And now that he’s afraid he could lose even his rigged elections, he’s lost interest in them as well.

A run off isn’t going to happen unless we – the MDC, civil society, and all Zimbabweans – make it happen.

To that end, we sought advice from our mobile subscribers and asked them this question:

We got some interesting responses, including:

Can’t we ask for financial assistance from the international community to enable the runoff to go ahead?

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ZEC shld look for money outside e country or they just declare the winner

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Zim pple who want a better future need 2 be united now more than ever and conduct an indefinite national strike so as 2 cripple the junta.

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Ask Gono to print some for you?

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If ZEC does not have money to conduct a run off why don’t they appeal to the int community so that we have a leader once and for all.

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I think we as Zimbabweans should take it 2 the streets with protests showing that we want the runoff 2 take place ASAP!

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Patience pays though we’ve to pressurise the regional & international communities to intervene despite refusal by ZANU PF.

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Where is Gono? Where did ZEC get the first money?

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National unity gvt the leading candidate be the leader & the run up deputise!

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The Morgan should be declared the winner

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The most popular leader should run the country until ZEC has resources

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Peaceful non violent social action!

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Appeal for donor funds with MDC conditions to end atrocities

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ZEC can recommend zanu 2 get a refund from china 4 the goods in the ship of death and use the money 4 elections. Tamirira kuvhota isu vari kutinonokera

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Get Round one winner to form an interim govt and the losers to hand ova power

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MDC’s decision to contest in the run-off is a brilliant step to democracy. The only way to protect our democracy is to restore our faith in MDC. It is nonsense for ZEC to say they have inadequate money. ZEC is state owned so GONO must simply inject more funding for the run-off . Akambogadzira mari yeMurambatsvina saka chingamutadzisa kuprinta mari yerun off chii? ZEC is now bankrupt becoz mari yese yakaperera kumarecounts that yield nothing. Shame on ZEC

What do you think? How do we for once stand up for ourselves and make this run off happen – and make the regime respect the result once it does?

Text your ideas to +263 912 452 201

The MDC has announced that it will contest in the presidential run off. This will relieve many of our Kubatana subscribers, who have been adamant that they contest.

Last week, when the MDC was still debating whether to participate in a run off, we sent our subscribers this text message:

Kubatana! Runoff date not yet set. ZLHR say date should be on or b4 May 24. MDC says will decide to contest or not once date set. What do u think MDC should do?

The response was an overwhelming Participate. The vast majority of responses indicated that people thought the MDC should participate in a runoff. However, many also recognised the needs for improved conditions on the ground, so that the election would be democratic.

These are some of their submissions:

Participate to avoid giving the regime of ZPF a blank cheque. A serious political party should always remain relevant and workout counter strategies to remain popular.

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MDC must contest coz it will beat ZPF hands down. People are angry with ZPF and will b angrier with the MDC if it boycotts. MDC will have betrayed the masses.

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MDC should contest the election but should demand UN observer to be posted in all parts of the country

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Morgi should participate in e run off. We’re more than ready-agitated rather-to dispatch old man to political dustbin. Violence wont change our vote and choice

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I think MDC must be a principled party. Deciding to contest is out of question. Are they accepting the results? If yes then they are very confused!

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MDC should do what must be done not what they feel like doing. The electorate has had enough of Tsvangirai threatening to pull out of election he has no right whatsoever to decide anything he must go on with the contest

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Should contest when international Observers come in to observe

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MDC must stop globe-trotting & begin to vigorously campaign. They’ve to contest the run-off

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MDC should insist on a level playing field. If the conditions are not right it is pointless to participate

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MDC shld stop the outdated game of shifting goalposts. It shld participate even tho the playing field is not even. By not participating it wld have betrayed e revolution

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MDC should take part on 2 conditions: no voters roll, only IDs to be needed & international observers a must

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MDC should contest in the run off because MDC will give Bob automatic victory & they would have betrayed the people

Run-off. That is in the in-word. Confusion reigns as the people try to decide and dictate the verdict that fits their circumstances. That is to say what “they” say they voted for in the past election. Not just that, but also what they believe they deserve. And then what after THE election? What election? And then the people, the so-called masses, get the little pleasures from their already wretched existence after THE election. They know what they want. Feed the kids, send them to school. Have a job. Have access to ARVs. The other day a toothless grannie said: why this stubbornness? She should know. She is from that generation that hid the present oppressors from the other oppressors. And then what? No one knows anymore. A good man gone bad? Ask the Jesuits perhaps? A freedom fighter gone anonymous? Ask Twoboy? Once upon a time a “people person?” A toothless old man said: “Is this old man still in charge?” He spoke b’coz he knew. Questions. Questions. Questions. But when the old people start cursing, perhaps someone should pay attention.

Responding to Zimbabwe’s ongoing election crisis, in an editorial in the state newspaper The Herald last Wednesday, Obediah Mukura Mazombwe said “the most viable and safest way forward is for SADC to mediate negotiations for a transitional government of national unity . . . led by the incumbent president.”

Of course, in an editorial the next day, The Herald then featured Mabasa Sasa (say that ten times fast) making the opposite argument. So who knows what they really think.

SADC, or at least some of it, might think that a unity government is the way forward for Zimbabwe.

But the whole idea of a government of national unity is an emotive one for Zimbabweans, as well it should be – particularly for those who recall the swallowing of PF ZAPU by ZANU PF in the 1980′s.

We sent this text message to our subscribers to seek their opinion:

Kubatana! Government of national unity: Solution or sell out? What do you think? Reply with your thoughts via SMS or email info [at] kubatana [dot] org [dot] zw

We’ve received a flood of replies, particularly via SMS, with voices against a government of national unity out numbering those in favour of it by about 10:1. Here are just a few of the comments we’ve received:

Face the facts. Use the facts with logic to benefit the public at large. Stop partisan interests. Zimbabwe is at cross roads right as I write.

War veterans exist. ZANU PF is the vehicle party through which Zimbabwe got independence and Mugabe is its leader. ZANU won votes in the current House of Assembly and Senatorial elections. Mugabe lost the presidential vote and that is being recounted now, never mind the objective.
MDC exists. It has membership of people from all walks of life including War veterans, war collaborators, CIO, soldiers, industrialists, Karanga, Zezuru, Manyika, Ndebele, Korekore, Tonga,etc. MDC won seats in the House of Assembly and Senatorial elections. MDC won the presidential election, never mind the margin which is being tempered around with as I write!

Both parties got assistance from the West at one point or another during their life cycle. Zimbabwe needs food, jobs, production, infrastructure, pride, sovereignty, democracy, etc.

Therefore we need resources from different sources. What matters is the nature of contract the resources come with. Zimbabwe needs minds that think, level-headed people who use logic, rationale to arrive at answers to the problems that face the nation right now. Zimbabwe needs to be a true democracy to be able to achieve the task ahead of it. A democracy entails accepting divergence of views and harnessing the richness of diversity to craft policies and laws that the nation. We need peace. Peace entails a leadership that compromises trivialities and focus on fundamentals. Peace can easily be achieved when different interest groups have been given space, and assured that their interests are addressed.

Therefore a government of national unity is a must! A one party government will surely face resistance from the other party and the country will be ungovernable. Zimbabwe does not need another dictatorship but a democracy by its total definition and characteristics.

Sorry you touched me on a raw nerve!

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They must not be duped into the idea of government of national unity. They are not birds of the same feathers.

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Definitely No No No. No to any government of national unity. It will be a betrayal to the peace loving people of Zimbabwe. Compromise and appeasement are the seeds for a mutation of more corruption oppression and injustice. We have come this far down the road to overthrow this evil regime we must go all the way, and see a collapse of this evil system of bondage and destruction, Not only for Zimbabwe but the whole of SADC.

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A government of national unity is a sell out, mugabe and his puppets have no space in the new Zimbabwe.

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We must send the message LOUD and CLEAR to zanu (and to the MDC Leadership) “NO Government of National Unity, NO Terms and Conditions……….. We WANT a RE-RUN – under any circumstances, under any conditions – we will HUMILIATE them!!” Bring it on!

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No to a government of national unity. Please they should not disobey our vote. We don’t want sell-outs.

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GNU defies whole purpose of an election. If they wanted unity gvt shld have said b4. This undermines democratic elections. Let the winner lead&we knw who won

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How can you make unity with a loser? Why would you go for a penalty shoot out when your team won 2-0. MDC has won the match and by now they must be in office doing the job. BIG NO to govt of national unity.

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A gvt of national unity with who? Let MDC takeover. ZANU PF has failed completely. The people have spoken. We do not want thugs murders and thieves to govern us.

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What ! Government of national unity with a loser Never ever Mugabe is a thief & his cronies should go to HAGUE& face the wrath of their sins.

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Gvt of national unity a non starter. What happened to zapu? We never voted for a unity gvt.

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Gvt of national ok. With MT as president. Without mugabe.

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Depends who is in it and who dominates. Mdc must dominate. Bob must be out as well as all former ministers. Simba can represent reform zanu

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They will absorb MDC and neutralise any opposition. There will be no change for ordinary folk.

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Sell out. But best option at this time!

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No. MDC won so it should form its own govt. People’s vote to stand as it is. Zanu has stolen 3 previous elections referendum & 2 elections. Stolen country’s riches. We didn’t fight liberation war for a couple of people.

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Thats the way to go. Pollarisation wil not stop

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A government of national unity will be utter betrayal on the people of Zimbabwe. The mere thought of it is betrayal. It would be better to remain an opposition

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Thats the one we need to enhance experience to new leadership.

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Unity with thieves who are not ready to reform is a betrayal of the ppl’s will. The ppl have spoken. Great betrayal!

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No to a union with murderers.

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What unity? When someone loses an election he should GO! Thats why we voted. Why unite with thieves?

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Sell out. ZANU PF had its go, looted è economy bringing Zim 2 a near standstill & è quagmire we’re in now. è whole useless bunch ö thugs n crooks shld move out n allow Zim’s restoration 2 prosperity.

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No ways! As long as bob is around recipe for disaster! No progress at all.

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Solution if MDC is the ruling party. Any plans 4 that?

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It is ok to have a government of National Unity, but only if Mugabe is not the head. We do not want the set-up like the one in Kenya whereby the man who lost in the elections is still the one heading the country. We know who we voted for,and Morgan is the one.

I’ve just watched this clip of an Al Jazeera broadcast on the ongoing post-election violence in Zimbabwe.

The video starkly contrasts the chard remnants of rural huts, and battered villagers recovering in hospital, with Zimbabwe’s (past his sell by date) Minister of Justice Patrick Chinamasa saying “we refute completely that people are dying of politically motivated violence.”

The government denies organising any sort of retributive campaign, and the police are investigating 75 cases of politically motivated violence – all of which they say were perpetrated by the MDC.

Never mind the fact of Tapiwa Mubwanda, and the at least nine others who have died in the weeks since Zimbabwe’s 29 March election.

Slowly, the public discourse is being laced with radical tones and themes; they talk rebellion; they talk about someone being taught a lesson; they talk about an impoverished uniformed man in the neighbourhood; in a commuter omnibus they take to task a lone uniformed female; why are thing this bad, tell us; why are your colleagues this corrupt; when is HE going; show us your payslip; we know you are not going to pay any fare; a billion dollars from Harare to Bulawayo; 100 million for quart of beer; do you drink?; this is as daring as it gets; no response from the hapless uniformed one; other passengers laugh; the uniformed one fails to see the joke and stares blankly ahead: “if only the earth could swallow me, damn these daredevils;” it is the politics of the stomach; the devil is dared; noone cares about “suffering the consequences;” signs of worse things to come? sticks and stones, do they still break bones; they sure do not break the spirit; batons and barrels, do they triumph over people power; pens and swords . . . ah well; sit up and listen.