via Masvingo ‘totally behind’ Tsvangirai – DailyNews Live by Godfrey Mtimba 22 NOVEMBER 2013
The Masvingo province leadership of Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC said yesterday it was fully behind the opposition leader amid a push to oust him.
The Masvingo provincial leadership, flanked by members of the youth wing, told a news conference here yesterday, that Tsvangirai cannot be singled out for blame in the July 31 poll defeat.
Tongai Matutu, MDC Masvingo secretary, labelled those pushing for leadership renewal “saboteurs.”
“Masvingo province is totally behind the MDC president Tsvangirai,” Matutu said.
“The issue of leadership renewal is not about targeting one individual but the whole leadership. Why would people want one person to go after the election loss induced by rigging?
“MDC was defeated as a team, not him alone so if there is need for renewal, it must affect everyone, starting from the branch, not only one person at the top.”
Matutu challenged those who are calling for a new leader to first present new ideas and a strategy that can win elections in future.
“If there are those who say they have better ideas or strategy, can they bring them up, but if they have, why didn’t they contribute them to the party during the elections? It means they sabotaged the party as a whole.”
Matutu said the party cannot afford to lose Tsvangirai at this juncture.
“The man Tsvangirai commands great support in the grassroots, who can go into the rural areas and address villagers like him,” Matutu said.
“We cannot afford a new leader who does not have such attributes and who needs time to be mentored so that he will be able to address the grassroots. Actually, I do not see any one in the leadership besides him who can do that, there is absolutely no-one, so why lose him?” he said.
Oliver Chirume, MDC Masvingo youth chairperson, also affirmed his wing’s loyalty to Tsvangirai.
“As youth, we are in agreement with our provincial leaders’ position,” he said.
“We condemn in the strongest terms those who are calling for the removal of our leader under the so called ‘plot to ouster Tsvangirai’.”
Chirume blasted party officials calling for Tsvangirai’s ouster as “power hungry individuals who are bent on derailing the revolution of change.”
“We are against over ambitious power hungry individuals who blame one person for what happened during the elections,” Chirume said.
“What we need now is redemption not reduction, we should re-organise and prepare ourselves for the future with all the strength we have as a party so we do not need to lose anyone, let alone our great leader Tsvangirai.”
COMMENTS
We still need him there at the top until we cross the red sea.
We are backing you President,till the struggle is over.Those who are calling to step down ,they must leave the party support Mr Tsvangirai.,he has got credibillity to rule.
For sure let the man do the business
There is no better reasoning than this Matutu. MDC is a team, it’s success is a collective effort and therefore stand to fail as a team. Well done Matutu, you have summed it up so well. Renewal should not target an individual.
A GOOD OBSERVATION, TONGAI! BUT IN FUTURE HE AVOID HMPOSING CANDIDATES!
Mostly when a coach is fired they also fire the entire tech team, so I think Tongai is spot on “where were they ” . They are accountable 4 the loss
I totally agree with Tongai, it is as if Tsvangirai was making unilateral decisions at the top and telling everyone to abide with those decisions.MDC went to elections as a team, so if they need changing, the whole team should be overhauled.
its clear Biti has been bribed by gono to destroy mdc-t.
it became questionable why gono had picked biti as his laywer. the agenda has now come out clear.
biti must have been paid large sums of money, to do the wrong thing after all.