MDC Will Win, Says Matutu

The sitting Member of the House of Assembly in Masvingo urban, a segment of the former Masvingo Central constituency, Tongai Matutu, is confident that short of a stolen election the Movement for Democratic Change will emerge victorious in the harmonized elections that will be held this Saturday 29th March 2008. Speaking to Wezhira on Wednesday, Matutu said this election would not only produce surprises for the ruling party but would also usher a new era where the MDC would assume the reigns of power.
“We have been holding meetings in the wards where the purpose was not to canvas for support but to encourage the electorate on the need to cast their votes. The other reason for the meetings was to educate the electorate about the number of ballot papers which they will receive and the need to vote correctly. The groundwork was done a long time ago and there is no reason why the MDC should lose this election,” Matutu said.
Matutu added that the ruling party could take the rural electorate for granted at its own risk as voting patterns would certainly show displeasure with the party which has failed dismally to address pressing issues that have adversely affected the general populace for a long time.
“Issues that used to affect the urban population have now crossed over to the rural areas. Businesses have not only come to a standstill but have actually closed down. The rural folk have now resorted to buying from the same black market that is thriving in the urban centres. They are now acutely aware of the need to change the current system and bring in a new government that will change their fortunes for the better. Only fools can take it for granted that they are guaranteed of these people’s votes after failing to address their bread and butter issues for such a long time. Without naming constituencies we are guaranteed of victory in a number of them in the rural areas. Masvingo urban is a foregone conclusion and there is no question about it,” Matutu said.
Speaking with confidence Matutu said the MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, would undoubtedly form the next government in the country. He was adamant that short of stealing the election the ruling party had no chance of winning the election.
“I have personally forwarded a formal complaint to the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) after members of the uniformed forces approached me informing me that they had refused to vote through the postal ballot since they could not vote for candidates of their choice. It had also come to my attention that some of the forces were victimised in previous elections after their superiors had opened their postal ballots and discovered that they had voted in favour of the opposition. This time around we have said there shall be no polling stations in areas where people cannot cast their votes in a free atmosphere. As such no polling stations are located at army barracks,” he said.
Matutu said the government had put some members of the police force on high alert in a way which showed that they were already aware of the outcome of the election. Members of the police Support Unit, Riot Squad and the Army have been prominently present in the city in the last few days. A recent snap survey by Wezhira also showed that most of the districts in Masvingo Province had shifted their allegiance to the opposition ahead of this Saturday’s general election.