Tsvangirai meets students, opinion leaders

MDC-T President Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday resumed his listening tour of the provinces when he met opinion leaders and students in Gokwe and Kwekwe respectively.

In Gokwe, President Tsvangirai held two highly successful meetings with chiefs, village heads, war veterans and church leaders with all of them saying they want the new government in 2018 to put in place a new governance architecture that is inclusive and where government does not abuse State institutions as done by Zanu PF.

The opinion leaders complained of partisan distribution of food, rampant corruption in all sectors of the economy and the abuse of traditional leaders by government. They said they yearned for a truly free and fair election where the people's will is respected and transfer of power guaranteed.

President Tsvangirai promised the leaders that the MDC and other political parties under NERA were working flat out for the implementation of far reaching reforms that would guarantee a credible poll.

The opinion leaders also welcomed the proposed alliance of opposition political parties but warned President Tsvangirai to be highly cautious and to be thorough as some of the outfits were Zanu PF surrogates meant to cause confusion. They said, however, that the coming together of genuine political parties would provide inspiration and hope that change would definitely come at the next election.

At a village in the Nemangwe area of Gokwe Central, President Tsvangirai spent the entire afternoon conversing with ordinary villagers, most of them in their 80s. They saluted him for his respect for ordinary people and pledged to continue voting for him, as they had always done.

In Kwekwe, President Tsvangirai addressed thousands of students. He challenged them to participate in the politics of the country so that they could determine their own future. He said the youth should register to vote in their numbers so that they make a loud and bold statement about how they want to be governed.

The MDC leader was accompanied by one of his deputies Hon. Nelson Chamisa, youth chairman Happymore Chidziva, deputy national spokesperson Thabitha Khumalo and deputy treasurer general Charlton Hwende.

Today, President Tsvangirai will meet opinion leaders in Kadoma and address a provincial assembly meeting in Kwekwe in the afternoon.