MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday extended an olive branch to rebels and all other opposition party members who deserted the party, pleading with them to return to enable the formation of a united front to dislodge President Robert Mugabe from power.
EVERSON MUSHAVA
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Tsvangirai said the party was prepared to take back rebels and deserters without any preconditions.
He said the party had already pardoned those who defied the party and stood as independent candidates in last year’s July 31 harmonised elections.
Tsvangirai said his party, after a three-day meeting of his party’s national executive in Kadoma a fortnight ago, had given all deserters up to the end of this month to rejoin the labour-backed party.
“In light of our big tent mentality, and consistent with our traditional magnanimity as a democratic party, we have offered an olive branch to all members, without exception, who feel they wish to come back and renew their commitment by rejoining the party,” Tsvangirai said.
“The executive resolved that the party would open the window until the end of August for our colleagues who, for whatever reason, could have been misled.”
The MDC-T lost several members to the MDC Renewal Team headed by Tsvangirai’s former secretary-general Tendai Biti who broke ranks with the party, accusing the former Premier of dictatorial tendencies.
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But Tsvangirai yesterday claimed over 60 members had indicated their intention to rejoin the party and that an amnesty had already been offered to those who stood as independent candidates in the last general elections and had shown remorse.
The MDC-T leader blasted Zanu PF for its “reckless and provocative courage to throw a party” for its electoral victory in last year’s “stolen” general elections at a time the people were succumbing to a gnawing economic crisis.
“Zimbabweans of all shades are converging on all these matters and want them resolved before the country implodes,” he said. Tsvangirai said Zanu PF spurned national dialogue motivated by a genuine patriotic wish to see the country’s crisis resolved and as the MDC-T, they had decided to pull out of any dialogue and force for electoral reforms.
He threatened to mobilise people to take action against the “clueless” Zanu PF government that was presiding over the suffering of millions of Zimbabweans while they are engrossed in succession fights.
“Zanu PF is now caught up in a cul-de-sac they have created themselves. The divisions, fights and succession battles are all indicative of a party with no united solution to the crisis we face. For Zanu PF, all focus and attention is on their party congress in December while the country burns,” Tsvangirai said.
He said his party was able to embark on the end games, but refused to disclose the party’s strategy, saying it was not for media consumption.
“We in the MDC shall no longer watch the situation continue to slide,” the MDC-T leader said. “We are drawing a line in the sand and we shall pressurise and mobilise the people because those who claim to be in charge have not demonstrated any desire and commitment to solve the pressing national issues. They [Zanu PF] have become bystanders while the country burns.”
Tsvangirai said Zimbabweans were facing multi-layered challenges of monumental proportions that had dashed the economic recovery spawned by the years of the inclusive government.
“The MDC has noted that there is now in the country an unprecedented national convergence on the national grievances affecting everyone across the political divide. The economic crisis is the window through which the political crisis is manifesting itself,” he said.
Tsvangirai said policy inconsistency was stifling development and denying the countries of the much-needed overseas development assistance and foreign direct investment.
“Yet, while the nation is gravitating towards implosion, the Zanu PF government has chosen to prioritise its internal fights at the expense of finding a solution to these pressing national issues,” he said.
Tsvangirai said his party now had “fresh” and “interesting” details on how the will of the people was subverted in last year’s elections.
The MDC-T executive, Tsvangirai said, was worried by the increase in the number of disputed polls and had resolved to withdraw from all future polls, even by-elections, to avert the crisis, and demand the implementation of agreed electoral reforms.
“The information I have, sadly, is that Mugabe, instead of doing everything possible to solve the crisis, is determined to confront the people by bringing back his militias to cow the nation. Let him be warned that if we cannot live as free men and women in the country of our birth, we would rather die as free people.”
