THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) will decide how the MDC-T’s extraordinary congress set for this weekend will be held after a proposal to have the event held virtually was shot down. BY MOSES MATENGA However, police are yet to respond to the application by the MDC-T to have its extraordinary congress next week to choose a replacement for the late former party leader Morgan Tsvangirai. MDC-T acting national chairman Morgen Komichi ruled out a virtual congress, but said the next step would depend on the police response. “We are still waiting for the clearance from the police and the Health and Child Care minister, but we are on course,” Komichi told NewsDay yesterday. On virtual voting, Komichi explained: “That is not possible. It is a technology we cannot manage because people are poor, the network system is not available all over the country and old people will not have the chance to vote because of that kind of technology. It is not an option for us.” Komichi will face off with Elias Mudzuri, Khupe, secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora and organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe, who has since been recalled by the party. Mudzuri said there were yet to get the register that would be used for the congress, and he also said virtual elections were not possible. “We are on course, but the register has not yet been finalised. We are likely to get problems on that aspect. We want the register to be clean,” he said. Mudzuri expressed doubts on whether the venue for the congress had been secured yet. Meanwhile, the police have been criticised for blocking the MDC Alliance campaign in Kwekwe yet they allowed the Zanu PF district co-ordinating committee elections to proceed. MDC Alliance youth leader Obey Sithole said over 35 youths were arrested in the Midlands province after armed police stormed their function citing breach of COVID-19 lockdown regulations. “We intended to launch our #OneMillionCampaign through a sporting tournament and police disrupted the event and arrested 32 youths,” Sithole said The arrested youths were detained and fined $500 each.
