Harare — MOVEMENT for Democratic Change (MDC) is ready for a peaceful uprising if the ruling ZANU PF steals the elections, warned party secretary for finance Tendai Biti.

Addressing a rally in Masasa on Tuesday, Biti said MDC would not accept a stolen election this time around.

Biti, a member of parliament for Harare East, said President Mugabe was bankrupt as he could not articulate issues but concentrated on politics of personalities.

"A President addressing a rally in the midst of national issues like unemployment, poverty, lack of investment and competition and only talks about personalities. We are talking about a country with a major economic crisis and all the President can do is to act like a school boy to pass bully ridicule instead of addressing issues," Biti charged.

"We will win elections unless they rig. Ukraine and Georgia have set a precedent for MDC, and ZANU PF is worried about that. No wonder they have bought more vehicles for military personnel to man the situation. They are getting ready for that. We actually agree with Archbishop Pius Ncube's suggestion of an uprising."

Biti said Zimbabwe's economy had undergone massive dislocation in that Mugabe's regime had sanctioned the average Zimbabwean to perpetual tenancy.

He said failure to invest in housing was stupid as construction was an engine for economic growth.

Biti said although the Zimbabwean government had managed to repossess 11 million hectares from the white farmers, no land had been allocated for housing when 60 per cent of the local populace had no houses.

"In 1985 this country faced a housing shortage of one million and the number has grown to over three million over the years. In 2000 before the farm invasions, MDC land reform programme was premised on the intention of acquiring eight million hectares over a period of five years, out of which three million would have been allocated for urban housing. This would have effectively killed the housing waiting list which was at two million then. Now ZANU PF has acquired, through fast-track land reforms programme, about 11 million hectares over a period of six years and nothing has been considered for housing," Biti said.

"Our plan was more radical in that when you invest in housing, you create jobs for people. And when you create jobs for people you also create disposable income, a good investment and at the same time, you will be serving people's needs."

Biti said there was an acute shortage of housing in Zimbabwe and that it was virtually impossible for an average person to buy a house.

He said there was a serious price increase in real estate and that Zimbabwe could learn from US President Franklin Roosevelt who redeemed America from the Great Depression through construction.

Biti said that MDC was ready to change Zimbabwe and that the party had the capacity to deliver.

"We need to acknowledge the depth of the crisis and we can do that. Much as President Mugabe may accuse us of being inexperienced, at least we are glad that we do not have experience of increasing inflation. We do not know how to reduce the value of the Zimbabwean dollar... we do not have experience for contagious destruction," said Biti.