News / Local
Madhuku blasts Tsvangirai
01 May 2013 at 21:07hrs | Views
National Constitutional Assembly chairman Professor Lovemore Madhuku on Wednesday slammed MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai for demanding reforms now when elections were around the corner yet he was in Government for the past four years.
Prof Madhuku, who was the guest of honour at a Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions faction function to commemorate May Day at Raylton Sports Club reiterated that he would soon launch a political party.
"We wanted to launch it after elections, but if Tsvangirai continues to seek postponement of elections until October we will not wait for that," he said.
Prof Madhuku said the Yes vote did not mean Zimbabwe now had a people-driven Constitution. He dared the police to arrest him, saying it was now a long time since he was last arrested for violating provisions of the Public Order and Security Act.
Prof Madhuku was speaking after police came to inform the organisers that their gathering had not been cleared by law enforcement agencies as required by POSA.
Prof Madhuku said when he saw the police he looked very much forward to being arrested.
"As workers you need to stand on your own as what you did today," he said.
"I saw people negotiating with police officers and I remained seated here, takamirira, ndava nenguva ndisina kumbosungwa," said Prof Madhuku, drawing applause from the crowd.
Prof Madhuku has often been accused of daring the police for him to be arrested so that he could get money from sympathetic donors for his National Constitutional Assembly projects.
President Mugabe is on record making such an observation after Prof Madhuku started a habit of mobilising a few youths to demonstrate so that he got arrested.
Prof Madhuku confirmed that his NCA had in the past regularly held illegal demonstrations aimed at seeking the condemnation of Government and police after being arrested.
He was once awarded a "bravery medal" by a United States-based civic organisation and also presented with US$25 000 for his and the NCA's relentless abortive demonstrations.
Prof Madhuku revealed that MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai courted him in his bid to iron out differences ahead of the harmonised elections.
Apart from Prof Madhuku, Tsvangirai is also courting MDC99 leader Job Sikhala and Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe.
Tsvangirai, according to sources, was running scared after the record referendum voter turnout that saw over three million Zimbabweans endorse the draft constitution with traditional Zanu-PF strongholds driving the "Yes Vote", a development confirmed by MDC-T allies among them the NCA and the shadowy Sokwanele.
Prof Madhuku said Tsvangirai sent several people to phone him inviting him to his residence.
"One would phone saying you are wanted by the Prime Minister, another person would phone saying you are wanted by the president," he said.
"The titles would continuously change.
"I then obliged and went to the residence that I used to know in Strathaven, but I was told that he now resides in Highlands.
"I did not know the residence and I got lost along the way until I finally got there."
Prof Madhuku, who was the guest of honour at a Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions faction function to commemorate May Day at Raylton Sports Club reiterated that he would soon launch a political party.
"We wanted to launch it after elections, but if Tsvangirai continues to seek postponement of elections until October we will not wait for that," he said.
Prof Madhuku said the Yes vote did not mean Zimbabwe now had a people-driven Constitution. He dared the police to arrest him, saying it was now a long time since he was last arrested for violating provisions of the Public Order and Security Act.
Prof Madhuku was speaking after police came to inform the organisers that their gathering had not been cleared by law enforcement agencies as required by POSA.
Prof Madhuku said when he saw the police he looked very much forward to being arrested.
"As workers you need to stand on your own as what you did today," he said.
"I saw people negotiating with police officers and I remained seated here, takamirira, ndava nenguva ndisina kumbosungwa," said Prof Madhuku, drawing applause from the crowd.
Prof Madhuku has often been accused of daring the police for him to be arrested so that he could get money from sympathetic donors for his National Constitutional Assembly projects.
Prof Madhuku confirmed that his NCA had in the past regularly held illegal demonstrations aimed at seeking the condemnation of Government and police after being arrested.
He was once awarded a "bravery medal" by a United States-based civic organisation and also presented with US$25 000 for his and the NCA's relentless abortive demonstrations.
Prof Madhuku revealed that MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai courted him in his bid to iron out differences ahead of the harmonised elections.
Apart from Prof Madhuku, Tsvangirai is also courting MDC99 leader Job Sikhala and Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe.
Tsvangirai, according to sources, was running scared after the record referendum voter turnout that saw over three million Zimbabweans endorse the draft constitution with traditional Zanu-PF strongholds driving the "Yes Vote", a development confirmed by MDC-T allies among them the NCA and the shadowy Sokwanele.
Prof Madhuku said Tsvangirai sent several people to phone him inviting him to his residence.
"One would phone saying you are wanted by the Prime Minister, another person would phone saying you are wanted by the president," he said.
"The titles would continuously change.
"I then obliged and went to the residence that I used to know in Strathaven, but I was told that he now resides in Highlands.
"I did not know the residence and I got lost along the way until I finally got there."
Source - Zimpapers
