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Patrick Chitumba Senior Reporter
Zanu-PF’s political commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere said MDC formations’ threats to boycott the forthcoming by-elections for Mount Darwin West and Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituencies was a confirmation that the opposition feared defeat by the ruling party.

Cde Kasukuwere said the ruling party was going to field strong candidates in the two constituencies.

The by-elections to be held on March 27 are meant to fill seats left vacant by ousted Vice President Joice Mujuru and her successor Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mujuru’s seat fell vacant when she was reappointed as VP in 2013 while Cde Mnangagwa’s seat also fell vacant when he was appointed Vice President last month.

President Mugabe on Saturday fixed March 27 as the date for the two by-elections.

The two will be the first set of by-elections since the July 31, 2013 polls which restored Zanu PF’s two thirds majority in Parliament.

Cde Kasukuwere said the MDC formations had nothing to offer the people.

“They have no capacity to go into the by-elections and hence the decision to boycott. Zanu-PF is going strong and there is no turning back,” said Cde Kasukuwere.

Political analysts concurred with Cde Kasukuwere that the MDC formations feared defeat.

Dr Lawton Hikwa said while it was their constitutional right to boycott the polls, their reasons to do so were not convincing.

“We appreciate that one party may choose not to participate in an election. The by-elections are going to be held with or without MDC formations and it’s their problem. They participated in the last election and lost. Nothing will change this time around because they are going to lose the elections,” he said.

Another political commentator Godwin Mureriwa said it was part of the MDC formations’ failed tactics to threaten to boycott elections.

He said in 2005 they wanted to boycott the parliamentary elections and later boycotted the Senate elections.

Mureriwa said in 2008 they boycotted the run-off elections.

“The main reason is that they want to remain relevant. If they participate in elections which they lose, their funders would find no reason to keep on splashing money on them,” he said.

Mureriwa said the people should now look beyond these formations and see Britain and her allies who have been fighting for regime change.

He said Zimbabwe was not like some country in the North where people just march in the streets and change governments.

“We’re a civilised people and are tired of these old tricks by these formations. They want to remain relevant,” he said.

Obert Gutu, spokesperson of the Morgan Tsvangirai- led MDC, confirmed that his party will not participate in the by-elections.

“Our position is very clear and it’s always been very consistent that the MDC will not contest any election or any by-election as long as the electoral reforms have not been implemented by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission,” he said.

The MDC Renewal Team spokesperson Jacob Mafume said they were also not participating in the by-elections.

“At this moment, we’ve said no reforms, no elections,” said Mafume.