POLITICS

Mugabe's "constitutional coup d'etat"

Statement issued by the Movement for Democratic Change April 10 2008

Zanu-PF disregarding the will of the people

The MDC National Executive Council met in Harare today and made several resolutions in light of Zanu PF's attempts in disregarding the Constitution of Zimbabwe following its defeat by the MDC at the polls on March 29.

The council reiterated the need to put the people of Zimbabwe first and called for the expeditious resolution to the political, economic and social crisis in Zimbabwe.

The party is concerned by the failure by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) in releasing the presidential election results and is equally disturbed by the frivolous and malicious calls by Zanu PF to have a re-run before the announcement of the result.

There is clear evidence which shows that the MDC won a clear majority of 50, 3 percent against Zanu PF's 43, 8 percent thereby avoiding a re-run in the presidential poll.

The National Executive Council also raised concern over Zanu PF president Mugabe's illegal extension of the term of cabinet ministers in complete disregard of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the militarisation of the State by Zanu PF.

There is a heavy deployment of senior security forces, war veterans and youth militias into rural and urban areas and an increase in the number of violence reports in these areas.

Due to the above statements the MDC National Executive resolves that it would reject to any calls, directive or decision on a recount which is not only illegal but also meaningless given that the declarations for election results have already been made in terms of Section 64 of the Electoral Act.

The MDC rejects the malicious deliberate and manipulative failure to announce the results of the presidential poll.

The MDC won the presidential election convincingly without the need of a re-run and will therefore reject any calls for a re-off.

The party notes the illegitimacy of Mugabe as President of Zimbabwe and his cabinet following the dissolution of Parliament on the 28th March 2008, and therefore does not accept that there is any legitimate Government or substantive President in the country.

The MDC rejects the constitutional subversion and constitutional coup d'etat done quietly by President Mugabe against the people of Zimbabwe.

The MDC rejects the deployment of top army and security officials and the militarization of the countryside and condemns the massive violence and intimidation and the chaos that is currently taking place across the country.

Statement issued by the Movement for Democratic Change, Zimbabwe, April 10 2008