Tsvangirai brands Mugabe a national liability

By Tichaona Sibanda

17th March 2006

MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai has told thousands of party supporters that Robert Mugabe has become a national liability who should be removed from power to save the country from further ruin.

He said Zimbabweans have triumphed against all adversity, saying ‘we have weathered the storm’ and told delegates to rapturous applause that the regime was on its way out.

Addressing delegates at the party’s second national people’s congress at the city sports centre in Harare on saturday, the MDC leader urged all Zimbabweans to rally behind his party and remove Mugabe from power.

‘Never again shall the people of Zimbabwe be put through the six years of torture, economic chaos and suffering that we have gone through in this struggle for change. We pledge to stop politics from driving millions out of the country in search for economic and personal security,’ said Tsvangirai.

Party spokesman Nelson Chamisa said Tsvangirai told over 15 000 delegates that it is high time Mugabe was told he has ruined the country and should be removed from his position without further delay.

‘We have no food. We have no fuel. We have no foreign currency. Electricity is in short supply. Our hospitals and clinics have no staff, no equipment and no drugs. Zimbabwe has no friends. No-one wants to do business with us. There is a huge democratic deficit. Democratic space is now at a premium. There are repressive laws everywhere: POSA, AIPPA, the NGO Bill. Against this adversity, the people have triumphed. We weathered the storm. The regime is on its way out,’ he said.

Two delegates, one from Save in Manicaland and the other from Buhera South said nothing on this earth could have forced them to miss the congress.

‘I have a few cows that produce milk and I sold some of it (milk) to raise my bus fare to come to Harare,’ said Dengedza from Save.

The day’s proceedings began with a host of solidarity messages from organisations like the National Constitutional Assembly, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, ZINASU and many more.

None of the members from the pro-senate senate faction attended the congress, although letters of invitation were sent to them last week.

Asked if Tsvangirai mentioned the split in his first of two speeches at the congress, Chamisa said the party leader announced to loud cheers that members of the pro-senate side were free to move on and form their own party and use a different name from that of the MDC.