Mzilikazi Senator Matson Hlalo (MDC-T) has blamed voter apathy for Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s failure to garner an outright majority in the March 2008 presidential race.
Speaking at an MDC-T election management training workshop at Stanley Hall in Bulawayo on Saturday, Hlalo disclosed that only 80 000 out of over 200 000 registered voters in Bulawayo participated in the election.
“Out of over 200 000 registered voters only about 80 000 came out.This shows that over 100 000 registered voters did not cast their vote,” he said.
“If these people had cast their vote in 2008, we would have consolidated president Tsvangirai’s win in the presidential race.”
In the March 2008 harmonised elections, Tsvangirai garnered 47,9% of the votes while second-placed President Robert Mugabe (Zanu PF) got 43,2%.
As a result, a run off poll was ordered but Tsvangirai later pulled out of the race citing violence against his party members.
Hlalo urged MDC-T members to go and vote en-masse to ensure a resounding victory for their candidate.
Meanwhile, the MDC-T leadership from cell to district level in Makokoba constituency is targeting to mobilise over 20 000 voters to cast their ballot for party candidates in the forthcoming elections, officials have said.
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The party’s Makokoba district chairman, James Sithole, yesterday said the district would hold a meeting to strategise on how they could conduct their voter education and mobilise voters.
“In attendance would be the ex-officio member of the district, the incumbent member of the House of Assembly, party vice-president and Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe,” he said.
