Tsvangirai leaves for US to hold high level talks

Opposition party leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday left for the United States of America (US), as he embarks on a diplomatic offensive to shed light on the deteriorating political and socio-economic situation in the country.

Apparently buoyed by a surprisingly huge turnout to his rally last week, the former Prime Minister is, according to his office, going to hold high level talks with US officials as part of a diplomatic mission that has since seen him writing to Sadc, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) highlighting the country's myriad of problems.

Luke Tamborinyoka, Tsvangirai's spokesperson, told the Daily News on Sunday that his boss is on a charm offensive to bring back international focus on Zimbabwe.

"The president has gone to the USA on a diplomatic offensive. He is going to make more diplomatic offenses in line with the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe.

"Only this morning he was finalising his letter to the Sadc chair that was also copied to all regional and leaders," said Tamborinyoka.

Ironically, President Robert Mugabe, Tsvangirai's bitter political rival is chairperson of Sadc and yesterday, Tamborinyoka refused to divulge contents of his boss' letter to the regional bloc.

Tamborinyoka said the MDC leader also wrote to the UN and the AU highlighting among other issues the disappearance of political activist Itai Dzamara.

"As a pointer of the deteriorating situation in the country, I was supposed to go with the president to the US but I could not go because I am nursing injuries I sustained after a nasty encounter with the police," said Tamborinyoka.

Last week, police purportedly searching for a baton stick and helmet, stormed the MDC headquarters and allegedly assaulted the party's workers including Tamborinyoka.

While tension is building up on the political landscape with police maintaining a heavy presence on the streets of Harare, the economic situation is deteriorating at a frightening pace.

Revelations that the country is headed for yet another draught has only worsened the situation, with a broke government, that is failing to timeously pay its workers and evidently ill-prepared with the unfolding crisis.

"There are in panic mode. They stole the election and because of that they have never been comfortable. This is a classic case of chickens coming home to roost. The people who attended our rally last week have frightened the system," said Tamborinyoka.