MDC plans to roll out mass protests in three months’ time

HARARE – The main wing of Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party on Friday resolved to call mass protests in the next 12 weeks to force the government to accept sweeping political reforms and abandons plans to extend President Robert Mugabe’s term by another two years.

The MDC party led by Morgan Tsvangirai first threatened to call mass anti-government protests last year but had appeared hesitant to confront state security forces in the streets. Party insiders said an eight-hour meeting of the party’s national executive held at its Harare headquarters unanimously resolved to “mobilise the people and deliver on last year’s agenda to engage in mass action”.Nelson Chamisa, the party’s spokesman refused to comment on the meeting, saying Tsvangiari would announce decisions of the Friday meeting at a press briefing scheduled for next Monday.ZimOnline sources however said there was consensus at the meeting, with all provincial representatives submitting that the people across the country were ready to take to the streets following 12 months of an intensive rural and urban mobilisation campaign led by Tsvangirai and other party leaders to rally rank and file members for mass action.Both State Security Minister Didymus Mutasa and his Home Affairs counterpart Kembo Mohadi could not be immediately reached for comment on the opposition’s latest threat to call mass protests.The government, which has in the past sent armed soldiers onto the streets to crush dissent, insists it will be ruthless with protesters with Mugabe himself openly telling the MDC and its supporters to expect to be shot at by the army if they dare take to the streets.According to ZimOnline sources, Tsvangirai will hold one more round of rallies throughout the country starting next week to rally party structures for action to stop Mugabe and his ruling Zanu PF party’s plans to use their absolute parliamentary majority to postpone a presidential election due in 2008 to 2010 and allow the Zimbabwean leader to remain in office.Tsvangirai, who founded the MDC in 1999 and saw the party split into two rival camps last year, promised to roll out nationwide mass protests before last December, invoking intense criticism when he did not act on his promise.Prominent academic Arthur Mutambara heads the other wing of the MDC and has also called for the use of “any means necessary” to force Mugabe’s government to accept democratic change.Analysts say discontent is running too deep among long-suffering Zimbabweans that all that was needed is good planning and visionary leadership to organize effective mass protests that could force Mugabe and Zanu PF to the negotiating table.ZimOnlineParty insiders said an eight-hour meeting of the party’s national executive held at its Harare headquarters unanimously resolved to “mobilise the people and deliver on last year’s agenda to engage in mass action”.Nelson Chamisa, the party’s spokesman refused to comment on the meeting, saying Tsvangiari would announce decisions of the Friday meeting at a press briefing scheduled for next Monday.ZimOnline sources however said there was consensus at the meeting, with all provincial representatives submitting that the people across the country were ready to take to the streets following 12 months of an intensive rural and urban mobilisation campaign led by Tsvangirai and other party leaders to rally rank and file members for mass action.Both State Security Minister Didymus Mutasa and his Home Affairs counterpart Kembo Mohadi could not be immediately reached for comment on the opposition’s latest threat to call mass protests.The government, which has in the past sent armed soldiers onto the streets to crush dissent, insists it will be ruthless with protesters with Mugabe himself openly telling the MDC and its supporters to expect to be shot at by the army if they dare take to the streets. According to ZimOnline sources, Tsvangirai will hold one more round of rallies throughout the country starting next week to rally party structures for action to stop Mugabe and his ruling Zanu PF party’s plans to use their absolute parliamentary majority to postpone a presidential election due in 2008 to 2010 and allow the Zimbabwean leader to remain in office.Tsvangirai, who founded the MDC in 1999 and saw the party split into two rival camps last year, promised to roll out nationwide mass protests before last December, invoking intense criticism when he did not act on his promise.Prominent academic Arthur Mutambara heads the other wing of the MDC and has also called for the use of “any means necessary” to force Mugabe’s government to accept democratic change.Analysts say discontent is running too deep among long-suffering Zimbabweans that all that was needed is good planning and visionary leadership to organize effective mass protests that could force Mugabe and Zanu PF to the negotiating table.ZimOnline