Mugabe isolated, says Tsvangirai

via Mugabe isolated, says Tsvangirai – DailyNews Live 8 July 2014

HARARE – Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has accused his rival President Robert Mugabe of remaining ensconced in State House and not trying hard enough to turn around Zimbabwe’s struggling economy.

The former premier has warned that the domestic situation was deteriorating fast and was in danger of spinning out of control as Mugabe spurned calls for national dialogue to stem the decline.

“Closeted at State House, Mr Mugabe remains marooned from the reality of the national situation, oblivious to the daily predicament facing Zimbabweans as they struggle to survive,” Tsvangirai said.

Mugabe, who has largely escaped blame because of his enduring charisma and political mastery of using social subsidies to quell discontent, is confronted with a catalogue of economic problems and is rehashing his blame on Western countries for “sabotaging” Zimbabwe’s economy.

This is revealed in a document by Tsvangirai named “Personal Reflections” obtained exclusively by the Daily News.

The document was officially released yesterday, and the Daily News also published an abridged statement titled Reflections of a heartbroken leader.

The MDC leader said in his visits to the various districts after the election, he had witnessed the pain of Zimbabweans, the palpable despair among the people as they contemplated a future for themselves and their families under the Zanu PF regime.

But Mugabe is convinced that his government is faced with a covert economic war, financed by Western countries and led by Zimbabwe’s opposition.

Tsvangirai said ordinary Zimbabweans were simply failing to cope with life in the current socio-economic circumstances.

“I spoke to pensioners that have found themselves pauperised, disenfranchised and smothered by the debilitating economic policies and unmitigated mismanagement by the Mugabe government,” Tsvangirai said.

“I saw parents struggling to pay their children’s school fees and health-care; men and women emasculated by Zanu PF’s failing policies and company closures.

“I saw previously employed citizens and those seeking work who now cannot sustain a meaningful life, including university graduates vending airtime vouchers and anything else that can be sold.

“Indeed, the nation has become one big mall, a huge ‘Siyaso’ market with everyone trying to sell something to someone just to make ends meet.

“I saw villagers struggling to buy basics for their families, huge families surviving on far much less that $1 per day.”

Mugabe’s support among the poor depends not only on State-backed social programmes but also growth.

The economy expanded during the inclusive government when he shared power with Tsvangirai but maintaining that rhythm after the disputed July 31, 2013 election has been difficult as deflation eats away at living standards and limited investment prevents industry from boosting productivity.

“From where we had started since the formation of the inclusive government in early 2009 and where we had reached by 2013, notable progress had been recorded and hope for a brighter future sufficiently generated,” Tsvangirai said.

“The desperate times of the crisis era of 2008 had become a distant memory and a new sense of hope had crept in the country by the time we entered the last election.

“The past had become another country.

“We all thought that the election was going to result in the consolidation of the hope and the progress that had set in the country after 2009.

“My heart is heavy today, as we accelerate towards the same economic turmoil from where we had rescued the people of Zimbabwe some five years ago!”

Opposition leaders have lambasted the arbitrary use of State funds to heighten what they call Mugabe’s populist cult-of-personality and prevent challengers from facing the former guerrilla leader in a fair fight. Mugabe rebuffs such attacks with practiced indignation.

Tsvangirai said the July 31 election was the beginning of the unprecedented uncertainty “and we must budget for more such uncertainty under this dark cloud of illegitimacy.”

A power-sharing government that expired last year set up by Mugabe and his bitter rival stabilised the economy after the crisis which many Zimbabweans blame on Mugabe’s policies.

“All the hope that had been generated for the nation has simply disappeared,” Tsvangirai said.

“It had appeared to me after 2008 that Zanu PF had begun to appreciate the overwhelming impact of illegitimacy on all sectors of the economy. We all thought President Mugabe had come to desire a dignified exit. And again, that is as far as my humanity had judged. We were wrong.”

The former trade unionist said Zimbabweans remained a determined people.

“We are confident that the change we seek will definitely be achieved well within our lifetime,” he said.

“Naysayers and doomsayers may be prematurely writing our obituary but we remain focused on what we set out to achieve in 1999. And we will achieve it.

“I have great faith in the people of Zimbabwe. We are a heroic people that will not tire until we achieve the peace, stability, democracy and prosperity that our country desires and deserves.”