Tsvangirai Launches "Yes" Campaign for Draft Constitution , Insists Will Not Budge

Tsvangirai told hundreds of party loyalists who comprised the party’s structures in Harare that he will not be party to any deliberations aimed at revising the controversial document during the principals meeting on Monday.

Tsvangirai said the negotiation process of the draft document was well represented at all stages insisting the proposed principals meeting to discuss Zanu PF amendments to the document was merely of academic significance.

He said the three principals did not have any power to overhaul what the people expressed in the draft constitution.

“Three people! Three people to determine the destiny of this country?! Vanhu vatatu! Inini handipo. Ini ipapo ndinenge ndisipo because vanhu vane final say panezvavakataura, are the people of Zimbabwe (I will not be party to it because those who have the final say are the people of Zimbabwe),” Tsvangirai said to loud applause from party loyalists who packed a hall in the Harare Show Grounds, venue for the launch.

The MDC-T leader challenged Zanu PF to campaign for a “No Vote” for the draft document during the referendum insisting his party will prevail.

Tsvangirai accused President Mugabe and his Zanu PF of attempts to return the country to the condemned Lancaster House Constitution through amending the Copac document which his party says is the best opportunity for the country to restore democracy.

The MDC-T leader, who had just arrived from his visit to the United States of America where he had attended President Barack Obama’s Democratic Party’s Convention, said he would not wish to become President one day and start using the Lancaster House document which he said is full of all the instruments of oppression.

“Change without transformation, change without laying the basis of how we are going to be governed is meaningless. Change chete yekungoti bvisai vaMugabe muise vaTsvangirai. Ini ndotora ma instruments iwawo kukudvinyirirai (Change just to remove Mugabe and replace him with Tsvangirai is not enough because I will use the same instruments Mugabe is using to oppress you). That is not change,” he said.

Tsvangirai’s decision to launch the yes campaign for the draft constitution is the most tangible expression he will not go back on the controversial document, which President Mugabe’s party has overhauled.

But the MDC decision to go start its Yes campaign is sure to be strongly resisted by Zanu PF which is demanding a revisit to some of the clauses in the draft.