by Christopher Makaza
MDC-T leader Dr Thokozani Khupe has described the just ended harmonised elections as very free and fair saying that all opposition candidates were allowed to campaign freely and enjoyed sleeping at their homes during the election period which was not the case in previous elections.
Speaking during an MDC-T press conference in Harare today, Dr Khupe said that it was the MDC-T’s conclusion that the plebiscite was free and fair and that it was a mistake for opposition parties to raise too much expectations that they could not be able to live with.
“The elections were free in that it allowed people to come out and vote. I have participated in elections since 2000, I can honestly say that this is the first election where I have slept in my bed. In majority of cases since 2000, we have never slept in our homes. We would move our children to South Africa, and I moved my twins out of this country in 2000, but in this particular election I want to honestly say that we did not have any problems. I slept at my house; most of our candidates were sleeping in their homes. That is the freeness that we experienced as a party,” she said.
Dr Khupe castigated the Bulawayo bombing and the recent violent demonstrations by MDC Alliance members.
“We reservedly condemn any form of violence, and it is my prayer that the two incidences one of the bombing on the 23rd of June 2018 in Bulawayo and violence that broke out in Harare on the 1st of August which have put a blot on what could have been a violent free election will never be repeated. We welcome the independent commissions suggested by President elect, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa. However, we propose that the independent commissions be set up by parliament and that it reports to the parliament directly,” she said.
