via Tsvangirai for 2018 | The Zimbabwean by Nelson Sibanda 16.10.13
The MDC-T has nominated party president Morgan Tsvangirai as their candidate for the 2018 Presidential race.
MDC-T spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora, told The Zimbabwean that it was not a foregone conclusion that Tsvangirai would quit the presidency at the 2016 Congress, although delegates to the Congress would decide the fate of candidates through secret ballot.
Provincial and national executive members interviewed by The Zimbabwean said only Zanu (PF) would benefit should Tsvangirai step down. The Youth Assembly and 11 provinces this week threw their weight behind Tsvangirai’s Presidency.
“Calls that Tsvangirai should step down are a creation of Zanu (PF). Genuine MDC-T followers will not fall into the cheap propaganda,” said one provincial executive member.
MDC-T Organising Secretary, Nelson Chamisa, said Tsvangirai was the face of the struggle for democracy and there was no need to change him midstream.
“Given our circumstances it is not the right time to change our commander,” Chamisa said.
Analysts said although leadership renewal was essential in any organisation, MDC-T should be on guard and only take such a decision according to its own plans. “The fact that Zanu (PF) has supported dissenting voices in the MDC, suggests that Tsvangirai’s stepping down would benefit Mugabe’s party ,” said an observer.
COMMENTS
Why is Zanupf so interested in Tsvangirai stepping down,you confidently claim to have won resoundingly so your party must not lose sleep and even waste acres of space denigrating The Mdc leader day in day out. I believe leadership change should be systematic,planned and strategic.
The man has had his chance and must pass on the button. No one is indispensable. The longer he stays the more damage he will do to the MDC brand.
There is no damage to MDC as a part. Which damage are you talking about.The damage we know is the theft of elections by zunu pf
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING WHY DONT U START BY RETIRING YOUR OLD WRINKLED UNCLE BOB WHO HAS DESTROYED OUR COUNTRY FOR 33 YRS. WHAT HAS TSWANGIRAI DESTROYED? CAN YOU BE FAIR FOR A CHANGE GODY.
I strongly suspect that ZANU PF wants MT to stay at the head of the MDC and is very successfully using reverse-psychology tactics. They have, after-all, successfully stolen his victory 3 times already. As the saying goes: “Better the devil you know….” They are well aware that he is still popular with many voters but if they feared him politically, as an opponent, he would have gone the way of several car accident and arson victims long ago.
Beatrice Mtetwa 2018, what?
With Morgan again? anyway, lets see what new stories he has.
Tsvangson ndizvo….I am not a member of MDC but I believe he is the guy who shall give ZANU sleepless nights…let him continue to roar even, Gushungo gets terrified and seek the protection of CIOs and the army. Why should he step down..we all know the election was stolen from him…he is the President of Zimbabwe not these thieves who cannot even produce a voter’s roll of elections they claim to have won.
Chamisa is singing for his supper. He’s the boot licker who is going around the provinces cleaning out any the dissenters who favour change of leadership, of which there are many. Chamisa, the clown who dresses up in expensive designer clothes, is another loser who thinks failure is a viable option.
That’s how Mugabe started and became a dictator. He needs to step down
MDC has learned tough and hard lessons such that they wont make any mistake of being easily fooled by the Baba and Mama Jukwas of Zanu PF. We are in a battle, and now is not the time to dispense and one of the soldiers…….my vote is for More-gain come 2016 and watch 2018 when Mujuru will be crushed by More-gain…….now turning to MDC and Morgan, dont be perturbed by the writing of Zanu Pf and it Professor Moyos……we are fully behind you. We know you won the election 2013
We need tsvangirai,he is our hope.
To hell, I will never ever put my X on zanu pf, Tsvangison is the man,
Morgan dzakare! Morgan is a good kind man, but he is not so very competent. He has been tricked by Zanu PF many times. He has given way when he should have stood firm. He is not a strategic thinker.
MDC needs to rebuild under a new leadership.
winning election in the air those are thoughts of fools who are unable to see reality on the ground.
Tsvangirai should not step down, neither should any of the current leadership, down to the least member. In fact the mission is not over, whoever want to join MDC should join and be at that level until such a time the first mission mooted 29 September 1999 was accomplished by the current leadership replacement should be vouluntary
To me as an MDC T supporter , and as an ex-ZIPRA forces soldier who was in the bush with all that vision for a better life after the liberation war , i see Tsangirai resembling Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo , from him i really see the face of a true leader with a mission to take Zimbabwe to the needed direction. During the liberation struggle i never thought any Zimbabwean would turn this country into a dustbin like this but very unfortunately people who had been so active during the chimurenga war like Mugabe have quickly forgotten the objectives which were sat forward during that time arround . If today it can be said lets go back to the bush and re-liberate Zimbabwe then very unfortunately it will blacks against blacks , ZANU PF must then stop their acts of manipulations , the change of leader of MDC T is not their business , if Nkomo can rise up from the dead today he will not hesitate to dish out AK-47s to his boys and instruct them to go back to the bush . Back off you ZANU PF supporters from telling us about how to run MDC T , please back off , tell the dead wood Mugabe to retire Tsvangirai is still having energy to lead us to greener pastures . See now that he is no longer part of the combined government already things have turned arround from bad to worse.
Nzou: You sound like a jealous and bitter individual. For your own information, Chamisa is one of the best cadres the students’ movement has produced in MDC. His stint as Minister was a successful one. He has proved his worth in government and within the party. He is indeed a very faithful son to Morgan. His support of our President is no bootlicking but an endorsement of what our Party’s election outcome at the last congress. So zip it Nzou.
Telling Nzou to zip it defies freedom of speech. Chamisa has turned into a control freak. If it’s not his idea, it’s a bad idea. I have been watching his facebook and he is not the same as when he was as a student activist. He has become another Ago look-alike besotted with his own self importance. Best he leaves politics and become a prophet.
Sekuru Mapenga, some leaders are born, others are made, a few evolve. Noone is perfect. The man has weathered his fair share of pain, beatings, incarceration, ridicule and God dammit, the loss of his loving, faithful and supportive Wife. Surely he has made some errors but none of them as grave as the Gukurahundi that Mugabe unleashed in Matebeleland, not as inhumane as Murambatsvina, not as savage as the violent land grabs, neither as severe as the 2008 massacre.President Morgan will lead us into the promised land. Live with it mate.
I am shocked at the low levels of political/democratic awareness of the Zimbabwean people. This modern political/democratic knowledge deficit stifles any meaningful progression to freedom of choice.
Democracy is the right to choose who shell govern our country and more importantly the right to oust the political leadership without being persecuted or accused of being a sellout.
“Karl Popper defined democracy in contrast to dictatorship or tyranny, thus focusing on opportunities for the people to control their leaders and to oust them without the need for a revolution.”
Guess what?? The totally undemocratic MDC-T is persecuting its own supporters because they are exercising their democratic rights by calling for leadership renewal within the party.
The greatest failing we Zimbabweans (and indeed all Africans) have is that we promote our leaders to immortals or semideus or demigod status, “Leaders for life”. This paradigm is anti-democracy and thus we fail to live in a democratic society. The party in important, most definitely not the current leader.
Sorry guys but we do need change and Morgan has failed to deliver, he must go. He does not have statesman qualities and the respect needed and he has always handed victory to Mugabe at the 11th hour. eg 2008 Presidential race when he withdrew and the last elections when he withdrew the court case contesting results. Hell he even courted and married ZanuPF women.
We need a leader who will gain the respect of all and be of good standing and strong leadership. Without these there will never be change in Zimbabwe.
Morgan z de man,bt I urge him to b serious kwete kungobirwa akatarisa,u shld have refused to enter into de race kana waiziva kt de play field wasn’t even
Try to be serious Mr Tsvangirai if ua to win.
Please lets take emotions out of the argument and be mature and understand that no elections where stolen as the opposition did not push for necessary reforms which where going to create a conducive environment for free and fair elections. The people of Zimbabwe where , are and will be robbed by their leaders as there is enormous evidence that those who aspire political office seek to gratify their small penises and big bellies.
The sad thing of all is lack of transparency and accountability and most of all competency. Mdc and Tswangirai want to run our economy live village chiefs .
Morgan is selfish , self centred and hungry for power.
Truth will be revealed , time will tell.
MDC as a party after the heavy loss of the recent watershed election,have dire need for a rebranding in terms of pan africanism,international relations,econonic redress,liberation of land,anticorruption,etc this will help the party to restore its political space
The main issue is not about leadership change but come with new robust tactics that are equal to the tasks
If Tsvangirai is a true instrument of democratic reform then he should be the first to walk his talk. Step down Mr. Tsvangirai and show that you are not selfishly trying to bask in the glory of public office.Note, this is coming from an MDC-T supporter.
At this rate, if you are voted president, I will not be surprised to see you in state house when you are 89 years old too.
The problem of Africa. Poor political leadership and citizens who tend to put personalities before policies. That is why we allowed Mugabe to lead the country down an economic cul de sac of (by then, internationally recognized) failed “Socialist” policies, for nearly 10 years after Independence without serious question. And why now MDC followers are allowing Tsvangirai to survive, despite his ineffective strategies and now obvious, poor judgement. If they were Africans, Thatcher would have died in office and Clinton would still be in office – we would have never discovered Obama.
i hope we all know the pain that every citizen had gone thru and therefor human patience has a limit .we want results we all know that even if zanu pf elect chinotimba in the coming elective congress they will cheat to power again. the matrix is not 2018 but how to unseat the military government from power .mugabe admitted that zanu is indeed a military revolutionery party. election alone is not enough they wil not give up power.
All of you are wrong the problem in zimbabwe is not morgan the problem is with only one man at 90 years he is still the oldiest president in the world zanu pf is my part people in the part are not tired with the opposition people are tired with robert mugabe tosaka ndanga ndarova vanhu mu parliment nenyaya yekuti vamwe haterere. Joseph Chinotimba
Departure of Tsvangirai will be an added advantage to Zanu and an end of Mdc.noone at the moment can stand against Mugabe.remember zanu is well polished machine.
If T is removed from MDC-T ,what remains is MDC and look at how MDC without the T performed in the 2013 elections.This is African politics we are still learning to develop our own system of democracy.At this stage we still need the T.
If that is the case, you can look forward to losing forever. The way you are talking, T is bigger than the party itself. How can that be allowed to happen? If the T is to be the servant of the people, he must be accountable to the people. At this time, he accountable and that is why mdc-T lost the election
At this time, he is NOT accountable and that is why mdc-T lost the election
We congratulate the newly elected leadership of the movement for democratic change under the guidance of Dr Morgan tsvangirai.we urge the leadership to work hard,leave no stone unturned as Zimbabweans face another potentially decisive election in 2018,it remains our interest and task to make this revolution permanent.Aluta continua,the struggle for a democratic,people led and driven government continues.ahoyi macdes ahoyi.