"Nomination court is coming. We've candidates. We've 2 months before by-elections & that's more than enough. That's almost the same period between which the party changed its name to MDC-A. Pple will be told, & have no confusion around who their leaders are"
"People know that Pres @nelsonchamisa is the leader of our movement. People know the real @mdczimbabwe leaders who were recalled; those who are with them in the communities; those who continue to champion their rights. They've no confusion about that. "
" Be patient. The strategy will unfold. We are dealing with a very sophisticated dictatorship. It's critical to remember this isn't the first time the MDC has had to deal with these issues. It's be done in the past & we've learnt many lesson."
"...we can't act as if we are politically naive. Pres Chamisa spoke today that we are building the new. Entrust that those who are charged with leading our movement will do the right thing. Let's have confidence. If they are saying relax, let's belive that"
"It's only when Pres @nelsonchamisa says that there's cause to worry, that we should worry. Let's bare with the process & have a bit of a long view. We are bound to get into one of the biggest elections (2023) & should consistently keep our eyes on the ball."
"Even though the by-elections are important because every single community must be represented, we must consistently look at the magician's hands, consistently focusing on ZEC & the shenanigans they are doing."
"A lot of work is being done, & requires to be done on the voters roll, ensuring all 2018 irregularities don't happen again, ensuring we have polling agents, insuring results announcement is done in accordance with the law & is transparent & verifiable"
" need to ensure that registration centers are everywhere, young people have IDs & go register to vote. How do you have only 5 women registering to vote in Mash Central in 12 months? It shows there's a problem & bottlenecks & we insist that ZEC has to reform"
"The militarized ZEC secretariat has to change. The partisan state media has to be fixed. That's our main focus as @mdczimbabwe. Thats where the big fight is. As we do by-elections let's ensure the reforms, processes & playing field is equal."
"We have to overwhelme the system by ensuring we register in our millions. We've set the target of 6 million votes as @mdczimbabwe, a 2/3 majority in Parliament, a clean sweep in our urban councils and a majority in our rural districts."
"It's on record who holds the patent for @mdczimbabwe. We (however) also know that we are not dealing with a legal problem, but a political problem and we are going to deal with it politically."
"ZEC knows that it can't happen (a party changing its logo for by-elections). If they're doing the right thing, they know who @mdczimbabwe is, they know who participated in the court cases in 2018."
"ZEC knows when the Mashavire case took place in the High Court, the @mdczimbabwe hadn't even been formed, so certainly as a matter of law, that can't be the basis upon which the MDC-A name is being stolen with the help of ZanuPF, by Douglas Mwonzora."
"But that doesn't matter to us (having the party name stolen). At the end of the day, the real game is about the people. You can call us the Green Party, Chamisa party, you can call us anything, at its core, political power lies with the people."
"@mdczimbabwe will participate in every single election & political process in this country. We are the biggest Oppo movement for now & we will get into gov. As a movement that believes in democratic change, we know & understand the power of the ballot."
"We understand collective power of citizens when they register to vote in millions, to drive transformation & change. We'll participate in every single community were we've structures, which is everywhere throughout the country. That's what we set out to do"
"For now we are @mdczimbabwe, when that changes, you'll hear from me.Pres Chamisa is on record that we're building the new.When there's a change, you'll hear from me, but that cosmetic. It's like asking me what's you new makeup today. That's not my identity"
"..the identity is what the party stands for, the cause; consciousness; pple who follow us; grassroot structures, our alternative policies, our leaders & our general belief & dream that we need ethical leadership & an end to ZanuPF; corruption & injustice"
"Remember when Khupe purported to run away with the name MDC in 2018, was anybody confused when it came to voting, as to who the real MDC is? This isn't the first time having movements that purport to call themselves the real Opposition."
"We want to remove a dictatorship. We want to focus on the processes that leads up to an election, currently being driven by ZEC albeit in a manner thats not satisfactory, constitutional, transparent & verifiable. That's were the conversation needs to go"
"A society that wants change has to raise the level of discourse & assess for ourselves what it is that will bring democratic change to the country. Is it calling a party 'Chamisa', NO! Its about changing fundamentals in the conducting of elections."
" the MDC is a brand that that been built over 20 years. Its like Coca-Cola. On the African continent, parties with the biggest name recognition are the MDC & ANC. We are bigger than FRELIMO in Mozambique, MPLA in Angola."
"Right now if I ask you the name of the ruling party in Nigeria, most populous African country, you wouldn't know; the name of Egyptian ruling party, most populous Arab country, you wouldn't know. But anyone from Cape to Kairo knows MDC, Tsvangirai, Chamisa.."
"Those who are pushing us, are desperate. We will consult our people in due course, and will make the right choices in the best interest of the people of Zimbabwe, the members of our beautiful organisation."
"..but we can't be forced into a script that we haven't written. We can't be forced to have a dinner that we don't know who cooked it & we can't be forced to eat what Mnangagwa has cooked, that will never happen. We'll make decisions at our own time & pace"
"I do not belong to any of your (MDC-T) structures. I hope you will assist by removing my name. I do not want to embarrass myself, it’s better to continue with my work in council than to get two votes."
" I cannot stand for Mwonzora. They do not know me and I have never attended any of their meetings. I am not part of them and I won’t do that. Of course, I am popular in the ward, but I cannot represent Mwonzora.”
1] ZEC shenanigans & ZanuPF's electro-phobia, as we edge towards March by-elections & indeed 2023 shouldn't be viewed in isolation.
For instance, ZEC was fully aware of by-elections dates & being a creation of the constitution, ought to have done more to entrench our democracy.
2] Last year, ZEC shared its "draft electoral road map" for by-elections.
It became imperative on them, to act swiftly in preparation of the same.
All over the country, (more so in the affected constituencies), ZEC should have ran a vigorous voter education/registration drive.
3] Now, after frustrating possible voters (in direct response to voter registration campaigns by CSOs), ZEC is happy to announce that registration is now on halt.
So many possible voters are being disenfranchised as a direct consequence of ZEC's deliberate incompetence.
1] There's a need to balance embracing ex political opponents & creating strategic allegiances founded on trust.
Politics is no child's play, neither is defeating an entrenched military dictatorship.
Any serious politician would do so, constantly checking their shoulder.
2] The same political leaders you're forcing to embrace some of these unrepentant characters like true Statesmen, will have difficult questions to answer, when you flip scripts, abusing the benefit of hindsight.
A simple case in point is the unfolding drama of Jabulani Sibanda.
3] Adv Chamisa once spoke of infiltration challenges which historically troubled the MDC.
He mentioned how ZanuPF would know some of their plans before their internal strategic meetings even ended.
Looking back now at the behaviour of these MDC-T people, you see whats at play.
2] Let's start perhaps with what the long thread ignored
Over the past few days, even if one ignored the genesis of this 'twar', Prof JN & his peers have been throwing all sorts of vitro & character assignation against WaMagaisa's person.
Prof decided to ignore this completely.
3] Prof's thread equally ignores that actual issues raises in response to his 'advice'.
Some felt he disqualified himself from having an opinion on how the funds are to be used by blueticking the initiative.
Others queried the legality of diverting funds raised through gofund.
1] When a whole Chief admits that he has had to swap jackets & vigorously campaign for his muzukuru, ED, & ZanuPF, then know he's part of the problem.
Chief simply need to maintain their identity as traditional leaders, and use that authority to lead their communities.
2] As long as Chiefs allow themselves to be entangled in partty politics, those actually occupying higher posts within those political institutions, will treat them as subordinates.
Chiwenga clearly spoke like he was reprimanding his party's self-proclaimed Provincial Commissar.
3] Individually & collectively, Chiefs needs to start conversations on how to reclaim their autonomy & identity.
They equally need not treat elected leaders as their equals, for their sources of authority are different.