via Let’s take action: Tsvangirai – DailyNews Live by Fungi Kwaramba 31 MARCH 2014
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai says it is time to take the President Robert Mugabe-led government head-on through action which he did not specify.
Speaking at a rally in Zhombe on Saturday, the former prime minister in an uneasy coalition with Mugabe for more than four years said the country, whose economy is on a downward spiral, cannot be held captive by one man.
“We know that people are facing problems but Mugabe does not care,” said Tsvangirai as he pointed to company closures and subsequent employment losses.
“We will soon be mobilising Zimbabweans to take action. Zimbabweans cannot be held hostage by one man,” Tsvangirai said.
The MDC leader said, since Mugabe is the author of the current problems — that have worsened since last year’s general elections — he must be brought down to the negotiating table.
“We are now a basket case. Mugabe must be brought to the negotiating table, not by the MDC but rather by the masses of Zimbabwe,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s service delivery sectors are on a death-bed that could produce a crisis, with hospitals in the intensive care unit, water getting scarcer and thousands of children dropping out of school, and increasingly desperate citizens being caught up in the crossfire.
With social service delivery at an all-time low and unemployment rate sky-high, the situation, according to social commentators, may provoke a showdown between the State and it’s citizenry especially the restive civil servants, who are yet to get their promised salary increment.
Although Mugabe has on several occasions promised to review salaries of government workers — with civil servants expecting the rise this month — his government has failed to pay up and in the process stocking up anger among its servants.
Tsvangirai said present problems can only be solved through a holistic national dialogue.
“In the past 34 years, we have realised that liberation does not mean freedom. The current national crisis has fingerprints of Zanu PF and Mugabe,” said Tsvangirai.
The bloated, bankrupt State cannot sustain the social spending that kept the peace; the nation already faces water shortages, power outages, rising prostitution and rampant crime.
Analysts have warned that unless government implements reforms that will resuscitate the economy—the country is headed for a disaster.
Mugabe’s 26-member Cabinet has only hastened the country’s decline — for example, 10 women die daily while giving birth.
Official figures say 960 women die per 100 000 live births. Zimbabwe’s healthcare system was functional and could meet the needs of the country.
The situation is worsened by shocking reports of corruption with the public now demanding action from Mugabe.
The 90-year-old Mugabe is under increasing pressure to reshuffle his Cabinet which has dismally failed to deal with prevailing economic challenges.
Analysts say what is needed now is pressure on the government to change course and open negotiations with opposition leaders, something that has since been dismissed contemptuously by the ruling party.
And with the next scheduled elections four years away, Tsvangirai said there is need to reach a consensus beyond parochial party interests.
But the opposition leader, who is struggling to contain disunity in his own party appears to have little leverage and analysts say it is time for Zimbabwe’s neighbours to use their influence, before the chaos becomes uncontainable.
COMMENTS
He must engage Dr Simba Makoni, Dabengwa, Madhuku, and Ncube.
THEY ARE RICH!!!!
He is clueless on what to do next.
The real Thinkers in the MDC have abandoned him.
And that thinker, off course is not the roving ambassador.
Desperate and will go as low as trying to manipulate and use the masses in order for him to have his much craved for relevance. Hahaha. Manje arikuirasa
This is the man who was quite comfortable having tea with Mugabe every Monday morning and on a number of occasions indicated that Mugabe was a wonderful man and father to the Nation. No wonder few people take him seriously. Morgan T had it all going for him but like most politicians he got greedy and was in his comfort zone. Stupid fool.
You can only swear at Morgan thats what u know best it wont help zimbabwe ,you are worse than Tsvangirai ,if u cant help the situation Shut up.you are always writing about Simba ,madhuku and the list goes on ,those people are not visible on the ground so the one who is visible let him do it.who has never made mistakes in life??there are no human Angels on this earth.we al hv our Weaknesses lets fight together this evil in our land,
Tsvangirai lacks the brains to do anything, besides his wish to butt lick Mugabe and womanising.How can he still be missing a cup of tea with Mugabe? He has no dream of ever becoming Thd President.
1st things 1st Tsvangson…call for the lifting of sanctions and Zim will move forward. This notion that lets have indaba is baloney. Tell us what you will do differently from zanu.
Zanu is clueless so come up with ideas Tsvangson not generalizations
This is no longeer about the people and the cause, it is about somebody having a job!!!!
Tsvangirai needs to go. He has failed, has no answers, provides no leadership, lacks credibility and is as corrupt as the rest of them.
What action?
YAWNNNNNNN
One minute the idiot wants to talk to Mugabe. The next minute he talks about unspecified action “head on”. No doubt about it, Zanu-PF couldn’t have picked a better candidate to lead the main opposition if they tried. They must be laughing themselves silly.
I hope Tsvangirai stops breeding. We don’t need any more oxygen thieves in this world. He sucks in the precious gas and breathes out giant quantities of hot air.
Seems Cde T is greatly missing the GNU and the luxury of him and close associates drinking tea & rubbing shoulders with Gushungo. Another GNU is a NO, no, no, no. Tell hell. Zimboz deserve better than that. Once bitten twice shy.
Tsvangirai misses the luxury of government. Now he wants the children of Zim to die for him to be president. You failed to take Mugabe head on for five yrs in the inclusive government. What action are you bucking about. What did you do when you were in government? Now you are at the centre of destroying the MDC to make sure Zanu pf rules until donkeys have horns. You are a shame!!!
Senzachena,Thembani,RR and a few others have hit the nail on the head.Morgan you had your chance.Please resign and have tea and chats with Mugabe!!!
Mr TM is frustrated and confused as he faces opposition within and reduced trips overseas and entertainment funds for his numerous girlfriends.These activities are not related to good leadership because the best spies are beautiful ladies.
Who wants endless GNU which lack decisive constructive decisions?The last GNU encouraged looters to bring the little left of the economy to its knees.When you were in the GNU you allowed yourselves to be pushed left and right and you refused to take our sincere well thought advice because you and your gang were enjoying the fruits of deception.Only those who are naive and have no common sense and wisdom will be fooled by you again.
The solution to our current political and economic problems is to have a new opposition party with complete new leadership to press the government to drop out all these misguided indigenisation policies.Only a new opposition party without a tarnished image can talk for the masses without being labelled as a sellout party.The Chamisas and Bitis have lost their golden opportunity due to greediness and lack of foresight.Call me names after reading this comment-I do not care at all because I stand for the truth not fabricated lies.
Yep. They took Achan’s sin into their camp. That’s what you get when you sup with the devil. But after all is said I still believe in forgiveness and repentance and a humble heart to confess where they went wrong. I too gave much advice that seemed to go completely unheeded right down to, “don’t do the elections,’ without the roadmap being fulfilled.
So Save, Tell us what to do, Lead from the front, Give us the plan.
we can support you but not if you are hiding behind doors, not if we cannot see you, not if having a wife is more important than the country you love.
WE will support you but say WHER, WHEN & HOW.
the time for speeches is over where is the ACTION.
If you can do that and then we can follow again, unfortunately at time we need our Father most he is not here to hear our plea but instead he is crying foul,
Do something you are the leader, you promised us.
we will follow you.
You do not have to see somebody to take his advice thus why we have reference books in the libraries to solve our unique problems.I want to ask you an honest question @reader if your comments were meant for me.How many Zimbabweans would support a person of mixed race to lead them in any party when the system has shown discrimination on a basic issue like National Registration Numbers? If you have mixed race persons in your family ask them to show you their I/Ds[ NRN] Please observe their last digits Soo like we are group of sheep.We went from Smith to independence discrimination,its like you have committed a crime to be born of mixed race.WHY? We fought the liberation war like some of these looters or even better.
I would support you mixed race. All we want is a Godly and wise leader to begin to dig Zimbabwe out of the terrible pit we are in. I actually wouldn’t mind who led Zimbabwe: mixed, Shona, Ndebele, white as long as he is Zimbo with a true heart for his nation, its people and a man after God’s own heart to do the right thing.
My steering question is we know what Bob and the motley crew are about. Let us now begin the purge of Zanu. Let us review as concerned citizens what can we do rid us of this rabble of thieves. If it means opening a results forum on twitter etc let us do so. The world knows what Bob is all about but what can they do. A petition from many and sent to certain people can be a start. Any ideas my fellow Zimbabweans.
Mixedrace if you have the ability to help run this country then I will support you.
Race has nothing as far as i am concerned to do with it.
I have never and never will be racist, I am however loyally Zimbabwean having been born in SOUTHERN RHODESIA, I have lived through much and all I/We/Zimbabweans want is for our once wonderful country to be that again.
We need a leader that we can trust and I dont care what his religion, Race, Colour, but an honest, upstanding, truthful caring leader that is not afraid to walk among us knowing he is safe.
All I’m saying to MT is stop the pandering to PF start where you were in 19988 a man of courage a man who stood forth and demanded better for us the people of Zimbabwe.
Mixedrace I am with you on many of your comments. Lets go forward together, the only way our country will survive and our children will have a legacy.
Debate is fine as long as we are willing to here eachother out and then make our own decision rightly or wrongly.
Mixedrace if you have the ability to help run this country then I will support you.
Race has nothing as far as i am concerned to do with it.
I have never and never will be racist, I am however loyally Zimbabwean having been born in SOUTHERN RHODESIA, I have lived through much and all I/We/Zimbabweans want is for our once wonderful country to be that again.
We need a leader that we can trust and I dont care what his religion, Race, Colour, but an honest, upstanding, truthful caring leader that is not afraid to walk among us knowing he is safe.
All I’m saying to MT is stop the pandering to PF start where you were in 1998 a man of courage a man who stood forth and demanded better for us the people of Zimbabwe.
Mixedrace I am with you on many of your comments. Lets go forward together, the only way our country will survive and our children will have a legacy.
Debate is fine as long as we are willing to here eachother out and then make our own decision rightly or wrongly.
This type of a forum is always going to be about ideas and opinions. Some will try to use it to further agendas of the masters they support. Some will use it to defend those that they worship. Most of us will just share our hopes and aspirations and most important of all keep our morale going. I know for a fact that there are politicians that look at this site. I also know for a fact that some notorious groups also look in.@reader and @Mixed Race you have shown political maturity that means in agreeing and disagreeing on certain points without having to insult each other as we have seen with some of our politicians. Some of the things you say are relevant for others who read here so guess what, you are representing other people right here on this forum which is much that I can say about some of our leaders. My opinion still goes with the leaser evil at this time and point. My only hope is that this leaser evil I speak of will open their ears and hear the cries of the people.Some of these men I know personally and I know they had their convictions. Some may have strayed so we hope they see the light and return to what they used to be. As we wait we also hope that others with the heart rise up and take up the mantle.
Doctor do little, thank you that’s the way we want it in Zimbabwe.
Let the best man step forward if the old have new ideas and can prove it then let them come, if they don’t then they must allow another to lead and may I say ASSIST them.
To fail is not a crime, but it is a crime against all of us to not try again and again.
Unfortunately all other parties are or seen to be inactive and so if nothing is being done then things will remain the same.
I am not a politician but I am human and I am Zimbabwean and I want to live a life I was promised. To do this work together, Debate the situation and find the best way but be transparent, be honest and above all else remember how you got there and who assisted.
Lets work together BUT we do need a leader.
I really salute you guys for your mature contributions.I personally want a leader who listen to the people and take their views seriously not those who think they know it all.
Politics its not like scientific experiments where you get something tangible at the end of the process if the hypothesis or theorem is proved right.In politics the main governing proof of success its trust and truthfulness.Once a leader betrays these two fundamental principles then he needs to stand down and open the way for new leaders.
Now we are coming together and if more of us can do this perhaps we will find a leader amongst us that is also Colour blind, but a true united zimbabwean that will live amongst us and share the wealth of the land while he watches the country grow strong and mighty.
Thank you mixedrace lets get more thinking with us.
remember – UNITED WE STAND, DEVIDED WE FALL.
Morgan & company supped with a scorpion, now complain when it stings despite being helped, scorpion baffled at protest becoz its his nature to sting regardless. This has been a bitter lesson, seems easier for Mdc to itself rather than confront their nemisis, keep calm guy, learn & carry on.