Category: MDC-T

‘I’ m Recovering, To Soon Join You To Continue The Struggle For Freedom, Peace, Democracy And National Prosperity’-

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Tsvangirai wife

 

Fellow Zimbabweans, I write to express my heartfelt thanks to you all for the overwhelming support you continue to give me in my temporary period of indisposition.

The personal messages and the support you are giving me and my family is humbling. I want to thank you all for that awesome support to the party and the family, including my loving wife who is by my side as I return to full recovery.

I am equally aware, however, of the morbid wishes of some of my fellow countrymen. But I want to assure them that Morgan Tsvangirai will soon be back to be the usual pain to those at the helm of mis-governance; those who oppress the people and who are turning a blind eye to all this sickening poverty around us. I remain fully aware of and concerned with what we are all going through collectively as a people and as a country.

I am told that they have closed the country down today. All the suffering and struggling vendors have been asked to close shop and join a march to prop up the ego of Robert Mugabe. It is lost on them that it is the country–and not the people–that must be on a brave march to stability and progress.

To friends and foe alike, I want to assure you that I am recovering. I assure you that I must not be the cause of any national uncertainty.  The irony is that yes, I may be indisposed, but I am more worried about my country and its economy that seem to be in a far much worse state than my personal state of health. It is the country that we all love that needs urgent healing.  It is our country that must be the biggest worry for all of us, not only for our personal sake but for the sake of the legacy we must leave behind for future generations.

Rest assured, I am on the path to full recovery and I will be joining you soon to continue with the struggle for freedom, peace, democracy and national prosperity.

I wish you all a happy Africa Day.
Source: Morgan R Tsvangirai

MDC T Bulawayo March Against , Unemployment, Poverty And Corruption Inflicted By Zanu PF, Saturday 28 May’

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Once again the MDC T had to seek the intervention of the courts for it to proceed with the Bulawayo chapter of the march against Poverty and Corruption. As much faced with a notice for a peaceful march the Police predictably sought to ban it. In doing this the Police acted typically as the security Department of a timid Zanu PF.

Ironically, when Zanu PF arranged the so called one million man march, against itself the Police were loudly silent. The MDC T has drawn the line in the sand: Never again shall we allow discrimination of a black people by a black government. We shall jealously guard our constitutional right to demonstrate peacefully.

Those who stand in our way will be prevailed upon. Our march is against the endemic and debilitating poverty to which Zimbabweans have been consigned by this evil regime. It is a march against the theft of our $15 billion by the state officials and their criminal associates. It is also a march against the cancerous scourge of corruption afflicting our state and its administration.

Zimbabwe probably has the highest unemployment rate on earth and yet this government promised 2,2 million jobs three years ago. We demand these jobs. Black Zimbabweans like Patrick Nabanyana, Itayi Dzamara and others remain missing in a country led by a black government.

We demand that our government distinguishes itself from that of Ian Smith. To add insult to injury in an effort to mop up the little US dollars that Zimbabweans are holding in the economy the government has conceived this evil plan to introduce the bond notes.

The currency black market, spurred by the government big wigs with unlimited access to bond notes will again flourish. In this way, the ruling party wants to fund its violent campaign in 2018. Zimbabweans shall not stand idly. Together we will resist this evil: we shall overcome. Victory is certain.
Douglas T Mwonzora
Secretary General MDC T. source- MDC T london

MDC-T Executive Members, Are Allegedly, Strongly Opposed To Tsvangirai’s Idea Of ‘Grand Coalition’ Talks

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MDC-T executive members are allegedly against leader Richard Morgan Tsvangirai’s idea of a grand coalition with other pro democracy groups despite his claims that the party has endorsed the idea.

MDC-T local government secretary Eddie Cross said the majority of members were against the idea.

Tsvangirai claimed over the weekend that MDC-T national executive had given him the full mandate to enter into coalition negotiations. Source: newsday

Harare Police Turn Down MDC -T Request To Hold ‘Mother Of All Demonstrations’

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POLICE in Harare have turned down a request by the opposition MDC-T to hold a protest march against the government’s alleged misrule tomorrow, citing shortage of security details.

 

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In a letter sent to MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, officer commanding Harare Central police, Newbert Saunyama claimed the planned mass protests would disrupt “the flow of traffic and people as well as peace being enjoyed currently”.

“We would like to advise you that we are unable to provide enough manpower, as most of our officers are engaged in the preparation of the independence celebrations. Any inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted,” Saunyama wrote.

MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka told NewsDay yesterday that his party was now considering taking legal action against police.

“Our secretary-general is seized with the matter to challenge this illegal response by the police,” he said.

Initially, the march was set for last week, but had to be postponed to pave way for President Robert Mugabe’s meeting with war veterans.

This came as Tsvangirai yesterday addressed students at the University of Zimbabwe and urged them to take to the streets to force the Zanu PF government to honour its election promises and guarantee students’ freedoms.

“We must all join hands in demanding, not only the implementation of the Constitution, but also the institution of far-reaching reforms to ensure that the next election does not breed yet another contested outcome. As students, you represent the future of the country. You are the leaders of tomorrow. But the leaders of tomorrow cannot just stand idle while tomorrow is under siege from the men and women of yesterday,” he said.

Tsvangirai reminded the students that his party was born out of labour and students’ movements.

“Rights will never be voluntarily given to you, especially by this government. Rights will have to be demanded. As students, you must not look at your problems in isolation. They are part and parcel of the national rot under this clueless party in government. The current leadership of government has chosen to ignore the multi-layered crisis facing the people. It is choosing, instead, to focus on the issue of the succession issue of our 92-year-old President (Robert Mugabe), whose age is a crisis unto itself.”  By  Xolisani Ncube.  source-newsday.

Mugabe’s Brutal, Riot Police Arrest 15 At MDC T Harvest House Over Assault OF Zanu PF Supporter

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A truck load of armed riot police descended at MDC-T Harvest House offices this afternoon allegedly hunting for people who assaulted a Zanu PF supporter on Saturday.About 15 members of their staff have been rounded up including three female students.
By This said to be among the arrested.The victim is alleged to have passed through Harvest House, the MDC-T’s headquarters in Harare while wearing a 21st February Movement t-shirt and a cap that had President Robert Mugabe’s picture.

Kenny Chabwana, a Zanu PF campaign manager for Makoni North constituency escaped death by a whisker after he was brutally attacked by MDC-T supporters.

His crime was allegedly passing near the MDC-T headquarters while wearing a 21st February Movement t-shirt.

National Party spokesperson, Obert Gutu twitted saying “Police have sealed off MDC headquarters, Harvest House, right now. Allegedly looking for people who assaulted a Zanu PF supporter on Saturday” By Thobekile Zhou. Source: Byo24news

‘Zimbabwe Is A Nation In Need Of New Leadership’-MDC National Executive

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We must know as a people that a country’s path to prosperity or ruin is often dictated by the character of its citizens,and therefore the solution to our problems lie with no other than you and l as Zimbabweans.
lt is indeed unfortunate that l write this piece 36 years later when we insinuate that we are a liberated country, yet the reality that stares back at us daily is that of our children living in abject poverty under a tyrannical and violent government.

l will not attempt to list the numerous problems which we face as a nation but instead will endeavour to ask a few pertinent question each and everyone of us must take time to answer in truth,so that when we begin to discuss solutions we know exactly what our challenges are today.

Firstly, can we safely say we are living in a well governed country if our ability to get good health care and education depends on the whims of politicians?can we say we are governed well when almost a third of our earnings annually goes to taxes aimed at supporting all levels of government? Are we well governed if the system and political class spending keeps piling up national debt which most of us don’t understand that it is to be paid by us,our children and grandchildren to come? are we well governed if it is impossible to remove poor performing officials from positions?these are the issues we must deal with and witness daily as citizens.

Currently government is struggling to even pay civil servants salaries but we are subjected to this fiscal insanity of the president’s endless spending on all sorts of frivolities which have albeit caused most of these cuts in the budget towards vital human services. The economic meltdown we are experiencing exemplifies an abandonment of democratic principles,which has seen a handful of government leaders making reckless choices at the same time being unable to even accept the consequences.

We are living in the times where we have chosen to be led by a government high on wine which has proven beyond a shadow of doubt that it has lost touch with the needs of its people.This is a corrupt entity that cannot even begin to understand at this stage that for any nation to thrive its people have to be free to make their own choices,to assume responsibility for their own actions and accept the consequences,be it good or bad.

Our country is on the brink of ruin today because we have lost our strength of character as a nation to fight for our values without fear or favor and to defend the very tenets of what it truly means to be a free nation.Zanu Pf has trapped us in perpetual poverty instilling a poverty mindset which pervades many and we are stuck in a vicious cycle of poor choices that show only a desire for immediate gratification over long term planning, our myopic thinking has assisted this renegade governance which has divided us with partisan politics, and planting seeds of hatred and intolerance among the people. A case in point to be weary of is the increase in the use of tribalism as a political tactic.

We are watching with much bravado our current vice Presidents being pitted against one another along ethnic lines,and people label you a tribalist nowadays if you disagree with another individual especially if one is a politician.

We have instead taken front seats to watch this destructive behaviour as it escalates,the question is why have we allowed it?Many have also gone on and joined the bandwagon of absurdity to drink from this cup of bitterness and hatred which seeks to openly divide Zimbabwe along tribal,political and other demarcation lines to satisfy Zanu pf selfish agendas to be re-elected again into government.

Notably those who are doing it are not concerned with the damage it has done to the fabric of our country. As we enter a new cycle of the election phase which signals that we are drawing closer to the election period the desperation from Zanu pf politicians to revive their bases has begun taking centre stage,and the entire ruling party has thrown out sensibility,discipline and dignity breeding only hatred and intolerance among citizens.

We must seek to elect leaders of government who are capable of embracing the diversity of our nation unequivocally,and we ought to recognise those individuals who focus only on solving problems rather than fanning destructive tribal politics as an election campaign tactic as seen with the current crop,When will we get tired of being a constant illustration of a nation which found itself in the clutches of a ruthless elite which abuses state power?

We will continue to pay the price for the absence of social justice which equates to no peace and constant turmoil.We must say NO! to governance that holds the opinions of its citizens in contempt and again,governance that is insensitive and subjects untold suffering upon its own people without losing sleep.

Source: Minenhle Sokhela MDC National Executive Member

 

US Embassy Urges Gvt To investigate Political Violence ,Abductions & Prosecute Perpetrators

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The United State of America Embassy in Harare has reiterated its concerns over the disappearance of human rights activists and journalist Itai Dzamara after he clocked one years missing since last March 9 2015.

“Today marks the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of civil society activist Itai Dzamara.  Promoting freedom and democracy and protecting human rights around the world are central to U.S. foreign policy, and the United States remains deeply concerned about Dzamara’s whereabouts and wellbeing,” said the embassy in a statement. ” The Zimbabwean constitution guarantees fundamental human rights and freedoms for all citizens, including  Dzamara.”

The embassy said all citizens have the right to life and personal liberty, the right to participate in peaceful political activities, the right to demonstrate and petition peacefully, and the right to express themselves freely.

“The United States urges the government of Zimbabwe to ensure that the constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights and freedoms are honored and enjoyed by all Zimbabweans, regardless of political affiliation.  We also encourage the government of Zimbabwe to fully investigate cases of politically motivated violence and abductions to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted and victims receive justice,” reads the statement. ByStephen Jakes, source-bulawayo24

‘Iam Not Giving Up Until My Husband Is Found. With God On My Side, All Things Are Possible’-Dzamara’s Wife.

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Sheffra Mtukudzi, speaks out, in commemorating ayear gone since her husband ‘Itai Dzamara’ was abducted by suspected Mugabe’s state CIO security forces.‎

‘Mugabe’s Zanu PF Regime Will Do All It Can To Locate Itai Dzamara’- VP Mnangagwa

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Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday defended the distribution of agricultural equipment by First Lady, Amai Grace Mugabe saying there was nothing amiss in what she was doing.He was responding to questions from legislators during question time who also wanted to know why the implements were being delivered at political rallies.

“The First Lady has a right to deliver the equipment. She is a First Lady of those from this side (MDC-T) as well as from that side (Zanu-PF). It is not the rally that gets the equipment but it is the people. I am sure this response will pacify most of you,” said VP Mnangagwa.

He said some renowned MDC-T activists were some of the people who were beneficiaries in the provinces that the First Lady had gone to.

Zengeza West MP Mr Simon Chidhakwa (MDC-T) had asked if other political party members would benefit as well.

Responding to another question, VP Mnangagwa said Government would leave no stone unturned in the quest to establish the whereabouts of journalist turned MDC-T activist Itai Dzamara.

Bulawayo Proportionate Representative MP Ms Thokozani Khupe (MDC-T) wanted an update arguing that it was one year after his disappearance.

“Let me assure the House that concern is not only being felt by the family but by every reasonable person in Zimbabwe,” said VP Mnangagwa.

Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr Aldrin Musiiwa said Government would not suspend training of nurses because it would be difficult to resuscitate the programme.

He was responding to a question from Bulawayo Proportionate Representative MP Dr Ruth Labode (MDC-T) on why they continued to train nurses when they were not employing them.

Dr Labode argued that allowing newly-qualified nurses to go unemployed would render them redundant.

“It is difficult to restart the programme. The critical training staff will be deployed, tutors and so on. When we suspend training, it means the schools would be closed,” said Dr Musiiwa.

Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba (zanu-pf) asked why Government was not considering exporting the nurses instead of keeping them when there was no employment.

Dr Musiiwa said they had already conceived such a programme and it was being pursued.

Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi said the deployment of soldiers to Equatorial Guinea for the African Cup of Nations finals two years ago did not warrant informing Parliament as envisaged by the Constitution.

He said only deployment for purposes of a war required informing Parliament and not peacekeeping missions.

Minister Sekeramayi said there was no prejudice to human life nor to the fiscus as all costs were covered by the host government.. source-herald

Morgan Tsvangirai Claims, ‘I have An MDC T Leadership Succession Plan,’

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Amid claims by some that main opposition (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai is now a spent force, the Daily News’ reporters Fungi Kwaramba and Tendai Kamhungira (DN) took time to speak to Tsvangirai (MT), in a wide-ranging interview that touches on the party’s succession plan, opposition party coalitions and his stance on electoral reforms.

DN: You recently went around the country what was your mission?

MT: Yes, the mission out there was to assess the state of the party and also to assess the state of the drought and its implications on the population. I think from the party’s point of view, we are satisfied that the party is solid, the party structures are intact and that those who are committed to change have not lost hope, they are still as enthusiastic as ever.

As for the state of hunger, it’s now common cause that we face a very dim future with regards to the food situation in the country and apparently people still hope that the government will be in a position to respond, but so far I don’t think the government has adequate resources or adequate means to respond to the level of hunger.

DN: It seems as though those in power do not go to the people in times of disaster, but you have in the past tried to visit villagers after the Tokwe-Mukorsi flood disaster?

MT: They (some leaders) depend on the bureaucratic inputs I suppose, the district administrators or traditional leaders, Zanu-PF structures to some extent. These are partisan political structures that either try to hide the situation or in a way want to exploit it for political purposes or partisan purposes. We all know that the level of drought is even worse than that of 1992.

At least the response of 1992 was very effective in terms of transportation of food to various parts of the country but this time you don’t see activity, you don’t see the urgency, you don’t even see the coordination, nationally and internationally.

DN: There is this question that is asked by many, who claim mdhara apera (you are no longer popular)?

MT: (Laughed) Hanzi ndapera, ndapera chii (in what sense do they say that)? I told you I went around the country and if (Morgan) Tsvangirai is of no use why would real supporters of the MDC believe that he is the solution? Why would people still believe in a 92-year-old ()? If ndikapera inini (I am no longer appealing) at the age of 60 ko ane 90 anoitasei, (what would a 90-year-old do)? The comparison is unbelievable. I am at my prime, politically I have endured 16 years of political development and for anyone to talk of munhu apera (waning popularity) what is the yardstick?

We still have not achieved the change we have been fighting for. There has been a lot of experience over the last 16 years.

We believe in serious paradigm in terms of thinking, in terms of approach, the only obstacle has been an entrenched dictatorship and sometimes I wonder why people blame the opposition for the mistakes and omissions of the dictatorship.

DN: You spoke about entrenched nationalism, spending much time on credentials, what do you think must be done on this issue?

MT: Well, I think fundamentally what is needed is to redefine the nationalist agenda. The elements of nationalism for instance it’s not just a question of change of personalities, it is a question of transforming the governance culture. We have for the past 35 years been at the mercy of Zanu-PF governance culture, one man rule, no democratic deepening, no economic upliftment of the people, corruption, patronage and of late even redefining who is entitled to lead the country or not.

Now that is a culture that must be transformed and it is abuse of State institutions to sustain power rather than to allow the State institutions to service the people and that is a fundamental mistake.

DN: Do you think you can still win elections against Zanu-PF?

MT: What is the means of power in this country? We, from the beginning have never believed in unconstitutional means to remove Zanu-PF.

We have always stuck to the democratic process, because we believe in democratic change of government unfortunately in trying to push for that agenda, we have had to meet so many obstacles the violence, the rigging of elections, the denigration of the leadership of the opposition, the redefining of what sovereignty is all about, so we have had to contend with that.

These are the obstacles, nowhere in the world have you ever seen a democratic movement taking on a dictatorship using democratic means.

And that’s what defines us differently from others. If you look at what we have achieved, we have achieved to redefine the State by a new Constitution, we have achieved to say Zanu-PF has no hegemony, has no monopoly in the governance of this country and hence there are two political movements in the country, Zanu-PF and MDC totally different, with a totally different vision for the country. It gives the people an opportunity to choose.

DN: Doesn’t the issue of electoral reforms come into play in ensuring that you win a free and fair election?

MT: We have been fighting this government for reforms, the Constitution has provided so much wide-ranging reforms but it’s not being implemented…and in 2008, we won an election, Mugabe has confirmed it but was there a transfer of power, if there was a transfer of power in terms of the dictates of the mandate of the people, then the MDC would have already taken over power.

But people want to say the MDC has failed even if those in authority have refused to transfer power, the blame has to be on MDC, so I say so without even any apology, the MDC has provided a new vision and a new vehicle for the change of governance in this country and to say that we have failed just because Mugabe is still there, has no merit, because if Mugabe has got an entrenched system that refuses to give up power even when people have voted against it, why should you blame the opposition?

DN: In light of this, what are MDC’s chances in 2018?

MT: Well, the chances are there, that is why we have put forward the question of reforms as a pre-condition for possibility of an electoral playing field which is free and fair.

DN: But Zanu-PF has been backtracking on implementing electoral reforms to an extent of participating in by-elections, which you boycotted. Do you think Zanu-PF will implement the reforms?

MT: We have not participated, that was a strategy for us to expose Zanu-PF and in fact we achieved that. Have we not been vindicated? The implosion that you see is as a result of infighting in Zanu-PF, because we have not participated. They find enemies within themselves and I think we have achieved that.

DN: Former Vice President Joice Mujuru has launched her new political party the Zimbabwe People First (ZPF). What do you think of this new “kid” on the block?

MT: There has always been a new kid on the block, there was Simba Makoni and his Mavambo/ Khusile, so there will always be.

For me, they are not the enemy, they appeal to a certain constituency, I don’t know which one, but they are part of the opposition. To me that’s fundamental, they are not the problem, the problem has always been Zanu-PF, so in terms of accepting their role and space, fundamentally I see nothing wrong with that.

DN: Is it true that you share a lot in common with Mujuru including your stance on electoral reforms?

MT: To be truthful, these are the things we have articulated over and over again. The problem has always been the transfer of power in this country and there are institutions that are being abused to stop respecting the people’s will …whether it’s (Morgan) Tsvangirai, whether it is Amai Mujuru, whether it is anybody, the question is that this is the time where we have to force conditions, conditions that will allow for the mandate of the people to be observed, unfortunately, Mugabe has always sustained his power through military means, military pillars.

We have never said that the military is an enemy of the people, we have always said people must be professional, they must respect the Constitution. If that were to be observed in the letter and spirit, I can tell you Zanu-PF will not see the light of day. If we have beaten them in 2008, in 2018 they will be chicken feed.

DN: What is your take on the issue of forming a grand coalition with other opposition political parties?

MT: People have to be careful on coalitions, we have always believed that coalitions are not a pact of the elites. It’s about the people and when we talk about the people how do you qualify an elite pact which is not based on any quantifiable ways? It means that only a few leaders have come together and agreed but what about the people on the ground, what are they saying? So perhaps we believe that coalitions are good for partnerships.

They are an instrument of partnerships, strategic partnerships to achieve a certain objective, because you believe in those values but they are not just an opportunistic method ye (for) a few people sitting around saying yah saka imi muri kubva kupi saka (where are you coming from) let’s talk …that is position oriented, it’s not value oriented so for strategic reasons, people have to be very cautious.

DN: Do you think a grand coalition can work in Zimbabwean politics?

MT: You will have to make a very serious analysis at that stage, yekuti (that) as we go towards an election…you must understand what are we fighting for? We are fighting for legitimacy, we are fighting for a democratic process, we are fighting to ensure that the people’s mandate is respected. If those conditions are there then the opportunity for partnerships as players is there.

There is an opportunity for various players to coalesce around the main objective but people must be clear, it’s not about positions because the obsession sometimes is who is going to lead and people miss the point, it becomes now a fight for positions, you are fighting to the bottom instead of fighting to ensure that the objective is to dislodge the system and once you are fighting to dislodge the system, it’s about value, it’s about a new government culture…

DN: Currently Zanu-PF is facing serious problems due to Mugabe’s failure to name a successor, as the MDC, do you have a succession plan?

MT: Any organisation must have a succession plan that is why in business, there are succession plans, in political parties there should be succession plans.

It’s what is called the queen syndrome. When you are in an organisation, you must know that there are potential successors, and at some stage you pave the way for others. You cannot just go on and on and on, you have to create conditions for the sustenance of that organisation, it means that there has to be constant development of leaders at the bottom and so that provides for sustenance for the future. – Source-Daily News

photo-chronicle-Angry Morgan Tsvangirai

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