Tsvangirai has good leadership characteristics like those of Lobengula: Sipepa Nkomo

Water Resources and Development minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo has likened PM Morgan Tsvangirai to Ndebele King Lobengula, saying one does not need to be highly educated to be a good leader.

Addressing a campaign rally in his Lobengula constituency on Sunday, Sipepa Nkomo attacked MDC president Welshman Ncube for allegedly saying Tsvangirai was unfit to lead the country because he was not educated.

"In the past few weeks, I have been shocked at learned people like Professor Welshman Ncube who have been saying things that should not be said," he said.

"He is a fool for saying Tsvangirai is uneducated and calling him a habitual liar. Tsvangirai has not and will not respond to this rubbish."

Nkomo said education was not the gateway to good leadership and Tsvangirai was one of the most knowledgeable people he had ever associated with.

He said the MDC-T leader had good leadership characteristics like those of the last Ndebele king, Lobengula.

"Being educated does not necessarily mean that you will become a good leader and history gives us evidence of this. "Lobengula was a good leader, but he was uneducated," he said.

"If a person hears Tsvangirai's ideas and listens to him speak that person will immediately tell that he is educated.

Tsvangirai is wise and the most knowledgeable person I know. I do not see how someone can say he is uneducated."

Nkomo said when he was appointed minister, he knew little about the sector, but with help from  professionals, he had managed to grasp a lot of things about the portfolio he heads.