via Tsvangirai extends olive branch to Zanu (PF) | The Zimbabwean 25.01.14 by Sofia Mapuranga
In his State of the nation address at a local hotel in Harare yesterday, Tsvangirai extended an olive branch to Zanu (PF) saying because the party was clueless on how to turn around the country’s economic fortunes, dialogue between the two parties was the only solution.
“The current crisis is a national crisis that needs a national solution and it is up to the incumbent to engage,” he said.
Tsvangirai vowed that until change is effected in Zimbabwe, he ‘remained focused in the struggle for democracy’ describing his party as a ‘happy family of democrats’ who were united and focused.
“They may needlessly continue to humiliate me and engage in protracted press wars against my person, batter me in a police station and kill innocent civilians who believe in democratic change. All they may achieve is slacken my pace but I can assure you they will not weaken my resolve and determination for national service and sacrifice,” said Tsvangirai.
His pledge to stay at the helm of the party come amid revelations that calls for Tsvangirai to step down have intensified within the party.
There are allegations that some members within the leadership of the party are orchestrating a revolt aimed at ousting the veteran trade unionist as party president.
Reports indicate that Senior party officials went to his residence last Thursday armed with a dossier aimed at pressuring the MDC leader to step down.
According to the reports, the party’s leadership had expressed through a detailed dossier how the party had suffered at the hands of the current leadership and the reasons why there was need for leadership renewal and an early congress.
Tsvangirai however said his party acknowledged the need to re-organise and restrategise in preparation of the 2018 elections.
“As the leadership, we are aware that the party needs to re-engage with its grassroots supporters. They (Zanu) tricked us in the last elections but not anymore. We are cleverer,” he said.
The MDC leader said his party was proud of its contribution and engagement in the Government of National Unity but accused the Southern Africa Development Community of failing to fulfil on its mandate as guarantors of the power sharing agreement.
He said failure by SADC to provide the impetus for the implementation of agreed reforms under the GNU saw the MDC’s efforts in effecting agreed provisions hit a brickwall.
Said Tsvangirai, “Engaging the Zanu (PF) leadership was a futile exercise because President Robert Mugabe would refer you to Shamu for example and say he had instructed him to implement agreed provisions.
“The next time we discussed the same issue again, he would once again pledge to have the reforms implemented but this would not be effected. All this was done to frustrate our efforts,” said Tsvangirai.
He said the conduct of elections under ‘unfavourable conditions’ was further exacerbated by the SADC failure to play it role effectively and the premature endorsement of the disputed July 31 poll had landed the country in the prevailing crisis.
Said Tsvangirai, “The African Union and SADC observer mission reports noted serious irregularities that did not inform their conclusions where the serious breaches would be unacceptable in other SADC and AU countries.
“The regional bloc, the African Union and some members of the broader international community may have prematurely endorsed the July 31st election and its outcome, but it has since dawned on some of them that this election was stolen and we encourage them to support the national call for fresh, free and fair elections underpinned by comprehensive reforms.”
He said because of the prevailing economic crisis, Zimbabwe could not afford to be isolated.
“We have to engage everyone because this isolation is not in the best interests of Zimbabwe. There is need for a sustained programme of global engagement,” he said arguing that the basis of the engagement rested on adherence to the constitutional and international laws that protected human rights.
“Last Maengahama and two others have been detained at Chikurubi for almost two years without trial while one of our activists died in detention before her trial. An immediate cessation of abuse of human rights and the putting of our own house in order will be the basis for global engagement if Zimbabwe is to rejoin the family of nations once again,” said Tsvangirai.
COMMENTS
Morgan has been compromised. How can he be offering olive branches? Zanu pf needs to do that. What is happening?????
I have told you Watch this space…….
What an idiot!
What an idiot this Tsvangirai is. We have had some of the most corrupt councillors in the country from the MDC and a party leadership that divorced itself from the populace soon after joining the gnu and scrambling for a place at the big table. Now they are frantically trying to engage even the workers they had rubbished because they thought they didn’t need them anymore for they had already started to see the door to State House. This party is a total flip side of Zpf, so to me, rather the devil I know, until there is change of approach by this copy cat democratic party.
You first need to kill the Devil you know..Watch this space…
At least Mdc fired all corrupt councillors and chombo fought to retain them. What is zpf doing about its corrupt officials? Be factual and say the truth even if you don’t support Mdc man.
He said to engage ZANU pf not workers. Why do u want to twist things iwe. MDC fired its corrupt coucnillirs and Combo refused. Where are u getting that information.
Zanu is corrupt . There is nothing more to say. They can try to wash with surf or whatever they are dirty. Watch this space whilst more is revealed. Watch this space…..
have they dealt with these corrupt councilors who have already engaged zanu for their own benefit? The councilors are still having the protection of more than chombo..
Olive branches?
Zanupf need Tsvangirai’s poor judgement and lack of wisdom to keep Zanupf in power.
Tsvangirai needs Zanupf support to keep living in his palace.
A win win for Zanupf and Tsvangirai. They have got him by the balls.
A lose lose for the people, the party and the country.
Well put Nzou. Sums it up precisely.
Tsvangirai delayed his “state of the nation” speech 3 times last week in deference to the death of Mugabe’s sister.
If that isn’t sucking up, I don’t know what is.
The first cancellation was made at the exact time the speech was supposed to begin. All foreign diplomats and international media were assembled.
What a class fool Tsvangirai made of himself and MDC. He not only has poor judgement, he has become an embarrassment to the party and the country!!
Zpf is a rotten dog
Sounds like five years ago all over again and Morgan says he is now cleverer.PLEASE give me a break.Had you just waited we would have been in power today.Do us a favour and resign as leader so we can get a tough intelligent leader in.
Majoni, read the Southern eye of 17/01/14 and then realise you are the one without facts.
I am not going to support anything on two feet, simply because it opposes Mugabe. I also look for capability to rule, which I doubt M.T. has.
Southern Eye is a zanupf misinformation site. Only fools and brainwashed clowns would believe their lies.
Tsvangirayi how many times would you want to repeat the same mistake ,,you really want to negotiate with a dying dog,,why would you want to resucitate zanu like you did in 2009 whenb it was finished ,you gave it new life now look what it has done ,,if xyou do that again you are finished as a major opposition leader,,let these people fry in their own fatthe end is not far,,dont be stupid or are you after the spoils in high offic,,,i am begining to believe people who say you are devoid of fresh ideas ,,be patient and watch the snake bite itself you fool
@Stobbs no wiser words have been said.
I would like to know the AU and SADC member states which now realise that the election was stolen. Let us engage them so that Mugabe does land the SADC chairmanship in August
This naive gullible outfit. Opportunists. Zimbos democracy means first revolution barricades street protests civil disobedience….see wats app in Ukraine Libya syria Egypt etc. But I doubt it. We rose up against smith but are cowards to rise up against mugarbage
As a former ZANLA combatant all I can say is, thank goodness we have an opposition the calibre of the MDC party because NEVER ever will they take over or have the ability to run this country. They are truly useless and nothing but puppets for US imperialism. Our future lies with ZANU PF but not in its current state or form. The party needs a good shake up and purged of all these lying, useless, corrupt and greedy individuals who have raped this country of our assets.
Ndino izwa sori kuitira iwe. Iwe uri brainwashed
Ephrain Gumbo I have seen you contributions to this forum. I have respected your opinion. But you are a bit deceitful. Is this what you fought for? The opposition might be wrong for now. Zanu has made the wrong moves for longer than the opposition has existed. Ephrain Gumbo I feel very very sorry for you. Did you fight to put you fellow Zimbabweans in the poverty that they find themselves in. You say you are a war vet…prove it… liberate us from this hunger.
Gumbo speaks with a forked tongue (Snake)
Sorry MT, the lion cannot lie down with the lamb. Organised Crime (The Mafia) cannot work alongside The Rule of Law. You are a Good Man Morgan but you are often naïve. How many times have ZPF tried to kill you? How many times have they beaten and mocked you? BT seems to be much more aware of the Total Evil of ZPF.
R I P MDC if this is what the leadership is about. we need a totally new opposition with new leaders and new idea’s.