News / National
Zimbabwe cabinet ministers at the mercy of hooligans: Tsvangirai
29 Jun 2011 at 07:32hrs | Views
Zimbabwe Premier and MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday said he was shocked by the war veterans' attack on party secretary-general and Finance minister Tendai Biti.
"The attack on Minister Biti posed a serious threat to peace in Zimbabwe especially as President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF continued to push for early elections" Tsvangirai said.
Tsvangirai also asked if the safety of ordinary Zimbabweans be guaranteed when cabinet ministers are at the mercy of hooligans, He said there is a better and more civilised way of expressing grievances.
On Monday, hundreds of war veterans staged a demonstration at the new Government Complex demanding that Finance Minister, Tendai Biti either increases civil servants salaries or resigns.
The demonstrators carried placards with messages which read 'Biti IMF puppet, Zimbabwe is a sovereign country, "Stop Playing US and UK politics."
Another placard read "War vets want a new Finance Minister."
The minister has on several occasions said Treasury does not have the money to increase government's wage bill, a position his critics are contesting.
Tamborinyoka said Monday's incident was aimed at intimidating and cowing MDC-T officials and supporters ahead of possible elections which President Mugabe and Zanu PF are agitating for this year.
Tamborinyoka declined to reveal what action Tsvangirai would take, saying it was premature to do so.
Last week when addressing a rally in Bulawayo Tsvangirai said they will not pull out of the GNU irregardless of whatever Zanu-PF will throw at them.
Security chiefs in Zimbabwe also said Biti's reluctance to increase civil servants' salaries was now a threat to national security.
"The attack on Minister Biti posed a serious threat to peace in Zimbabwe especially as President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF continued to push for early elections" Tsvangirai said.
Tsvangirai also asked if the safety of ordinary Zimbabweans be guaranteed when cabinet ministers are at the mercy of hooligans, He said there is a better and more civilised way of expressing grievances.
On Monday, hundreds of war veterans staged a demonstration at the new Government Complex demanding that Finance Minister, Tendai Biti either increases civil servants salaries or resigns.
The demonstrators carried placards with messages which read 'Biti IMF puppet, Zimbabwe is a sovereign country, "Stop Playing US and UK politics."
Another placard read "War vets want a new Finance Minister."
The minister has on several occasions said Treasury does not have the money to increase government's wage bill, a position his critics are contesting.
Tamborinyoka said Monday's incident was aimed at intimidating and cowing MDC-T officials and supporters ahead of possible elections which President Mugabe and Zanu PF are agitating for this year.
Tamborinyoka declined to reveal what action Tsvangirai would take, saying it was premature to do so.
Last week when addressing a rally in Bulawayo Tsvangirai said they will not pull out of the GNU irregardless of whatever Zanu-PF will throw at them.
Security chiefs in Zimbabwe also said Biti's reluctance to increase civil servants' salaries was now a threat to national security.
Source - Byo24News
