Tsvangirai's silence on Zanu-PF & police crackdown disturbing

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is failing to shake off the ineffectual tag which those within the party and outside, say remains part of his leadership.

There are many cases in which Tsvangirai's ineffectiveness in dealing with the ruthlessness of his fiercest rival - President Robert Mugabe - has been exposed.

When Roy Bennett was arrested and put in the slammer for a year in a rough Mutoko prison, his wife Heather and well-meaning party critics - blamed Tsvangirai for not doing enough to support the troubled former legislator.

Again when Bennett was denied the chance of becoming deputy minister of Agriculture, the MDC leader failed to force Mugabe to swear-in the fiery politician who lost almost his entire wealth because of his commitment to the MDC cause and struggle for democracy.

Despite threats of pulling out of the inclusive government, today Bennett has not only lost the ministerial post but also the senatorial seat because of politically-induced absenteeism from the House of Assembly.

It is a fact that Tsvangirai is still part of the coalition government and Mugabe has forced his way to have the MDC nominate a candidate not perceived to be a threat to Zanu PF land reform agenda.

Seiso Moyo replaced Bennett as deputy minister of Agriculture â€" relegating the strongman to the political dustbin.

Today Solomon Madzore, the MDC youth chairman is languishing in Chikurubi Maximum Prison on allegations of murdering a policeman in Glen View last year.

We hold no brief for Madzore and we respect the court processes but it is the manner in which the firebrand youth leader has been handled which cries for attention.

Madzore was at first haunted out of Zimbabwe by security agents with colleagues â€" Clifford Hlatshwayo and secretary general Promise Mkwananzi â€" who were also suspected to have been involved in the violence that led to the death of Petros Mutedza.

Madzore and other 24 activists including Yvonne Musarurwa and Rebecca Mafukeni, are wallowing in deplorable conditions on allegations which have not been proven.

Tsvangirai's silence in the matter has been touching.

He has left the youths to carry out their own solidarity demos in cities and provinces in the Free Madzore campaigns.

The PM has ignored his party's critical wing's calls for political pressure to force Mugabe to release the shackles on the MDC.

More than 50 youths have so far been arrested in the campaigns.

Where is the voice of Tsvangirai in this crackdown?

The PM needs to show his weight and free his party from this serious assault.

Otherwise we will begin to think the ineffectual tag is real.