Are we cowards? Tsvangirai asks Zim – NewZimbabwe 19/03/2016
“THE world is asking, are there people in Zimbabwe? Are we cowards?”
These were the frustrated remarks of former prime minister and opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai as he addressed supporters at Rudhaka in Marondera on Saturday.
The former trade unionist has been trying, and repeatedly failing, to topple President Robert Mugabe since establishing the MDC back in 1999.
On Saturday, Tsvangirai suggested Zimbabweans were not working with him.
He complained: “When people run away from a neighbourhood police officer, what is that?”
President Mugabe turned 92 last month and continues to rule out retirement. His Zanu PF party has nominated him as its candidate for elections due in 2018 when he will be 94 years old.
The prospect perplexes Tsvangirai.
Said the MDC-T leader: “At 94, Mugabe wants to contest? The problem is that Mugabe wants to die in power.
“This other day I was with Mugabe at Sheraton [Rainbow Towers Hotel], and he said to me, Tsvangirai will you please watch out this step.
“You will fall down if you are not careful; imagine him saying that to me?”
Tsvangirai insisted that he is the country’s rightful leader, arguing he defeated Mugabe in the 2008 elections.
“Mugabe has since acknowledged that I defeated him in 2008 but the question remains, why is he still in power?
“Give power to the mandated person, the person who was elected by the people. The whole world knows of a mandated leader,” said the MDC-T leader.
COMMENTS
Mr Tsvangirai, you are naive fool with the same dictatorial tendencies as Mugabe, maybe you are not a coward, but you cannot cure stupid naivety.
Hi “Kevin” and you are not a Kevin. Obviously a Zanu PF suppoter.
Tsungirirai is not stupid and ge did win those elections.
Do yourself and Zimbabwe a favour. Hand yourself over to the police and confess about all the stuff you have stolen.
You are of no positive benefit to this country.
It’s a pertinent question that Tsvangirayi picked up from abroad. Cowardice can be a culture, and cultures start at the top. So Tsvangirayi musn’t be asking us, but himself. We look up to him and other aspiring leaders to inspire more courage in us than they have done so far. What is the price of freedom? I doubt we have paid enough.
@ Tiger Shona, I have noticed that your contribution to most comments is accuse people for being Zanu and stealing, please find better and more productive comments to add to your repertoire. No one is disputing that he won those elections, we are taking offence to being called cowards by a man that is an even bigger coward. Knowing he had won in 2008, had he not taken the cowards way out and ran and hid he would have ruled this country.
@ Chanisa I agree wholeheartedly with you. Tsvangirai had the youths of this country eating from his hand for a long time, if he had decided to lead them and inspire them to put pressure on Zanu he would have gone far with them. Instead he lost site of the finish line before he got there and decided to live the life of luxury and forget that he was fighting a war. He sold out in both in 2008 and then worse still in 2009. He has no right to call anyone a coward, but rather instead he should acknowledge that he has decided to make us all so through his actions. Who is going to die for a man when they know that once in power will forget them, or that when his own personal safety is in question will run and hide.
Ngaatikwanire Tsvangirai we are not sheep to be led to the slaughter for no good reason. Vanhu follow an ideal that they can see their leaders believe in, they do not follow a dictactor who is also a coward that they can see coming a mile away simply because the rest of the world calls us cowards.