Mr Tsvangirai Mr Tsvangirai

Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau

Opposition political party leaders, including MDC-T’s Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, have threatened violence if they lose next year’s harmonised elections to the ruling zanu-pf.

Addressing people from various political parties gathered under the National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) here yesterday, Mr Tsvangirai said violence and subsequent abandonment of the Battle of Zimbabwe match between Highlanders and Dynamos “could visit the country”.

He accused the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of bias.

“ZEC is a referee and we have a referee that throws away the whistle and joins the other team. That is not a referee.

“That is what we are telling ZEC, that if you don’t become an impartial referee then you are creating conditions for violence. We are not going to stand and watch when we have been cheated,” said the opposition leader.

The serial-losing opposition leader and his party has been trounced by President Mugabe and zanu-pf since 2000, but always attributes his dismal performance to alleged rigging.

He said the Biometric Voter Registration process which is to be piloted in the Chiwundura by-election would prove that zanu-pf cheats.

Under the pretext of phantom information that a senior zanu-pf official reportedly advocated violence fearing defeat from the opposition, Mr Tsvangirai said they would set up bases.

“To advocate for violence against the people they liberated, they are going to set up bases. Don’t worry, what stops us from building our own bases,” he said.

National People’s Party (NPP) vice president Mr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo said zanu-pf has remained in power due to the people’s fear of taking to the streets.

“We are in this situation not because of (President) Mugabe, zanu-pf or CIO (Central Intelligence Organisation), but because of fear,” he said.

“If it was in South Africa things will not be like this.

“Zimbabweans are bewitched.

“The day we are going to throw away fear, that’s the day of our liberation.”

He urged the opposition to move from mere words to action.

The opposition leaders, he said without elaborating, have had numerous Memorandum of Understanding which have failed to dislodge zanu-pf, but what was now needed is action.

He said opposition parties should invade the zanu-pf rural stronghold.