Register to vote, Tsvangirai tells workers

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has rallied suffering workers to go and register for next year's elections — telling them it's the only route to restore their dignity and values eroded by the current economic crisis.

Tsvangirai, a former labour union leader during the 1990s, lamented the closures of factories and thousands of job losses which he blamed on President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF government.

The former prime minster in the stability-inducing unity government will today participate in the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)-led commemorations in Harare's high density suburb of Dzivaresekwa.

"Fellow Zimbabweans, this being Workers' Day, we must remember that as a nation we have our work cut out for us as we brace for next year's watershed polls.

"We can only be able to fight unemployment, poverty and inequalities if we use the perfect opportunity next year to vote for visionary men and women who will be able to extricate our country from its parlous predicament.

"Yes, we have serious work to do next year and that great work starts by registering to vote as soon as the voter registration exercise is rolled out in the coming days.

"My fellow countrymen and women, given our circumstance and all these visible signs of collapse around us, the real Workers' Day is the day of the next election; when we must all turn out in our huge numbers to vote and make a huge statement about the Zimbabwe we want," said Tsvangirai in a statement marking Workers' Day.

"As we face a watershed election in 2018, we must budget that these hypocrites will bring to us a fresh bouquet of high-sounding promises they will forget about soon after polling day!

"We have real work to do at the next election and I urge all parents to encourage their children to participate in the politics of their country.

"I urge all the youth to come out in their numbers and determine, defend and secure the future that they want by participating in the next election.

"They certainly cannot outsource or contract out the determination of their own future to anyone," added Tsvangirai.

Meanwhile teachers also echoed Tsvangirai's sentiments saying there is nothing for workers to cheer for the remaining workers as the dying economy was eroding their value.

In a statement yesterday Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Raymond Majongwe bemoaned the current rot pervading the country.

"Teachers and other workers are being treated with disdain and are the lowest paid in Sadc.

"There is a serious level of insecurity for teachers and workers as anyone can walk into our premises to harass and assault teachers and other workers.

"The level of opulence, extravagance and sumptuousness by government officials in a sea of poverty is unbelievable and disappointing as it is symptomatic of a cash-strapped government," said Majongwe.