News / National
Tsvangirai hunts rural vote
07 Jul 2017 at 06:50hrs | Views
Opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has set his sights on capturing the elusive rural vote ahead of the elections next year.
"Our teams are currently travelling the length and breadth of this country as we speak, empowering individuals and communities to take their destiny into their own hands, educating them on their voting rights and assisting them with ideas on how to confront the challenges that we are all currently facing," Tsvangirai said in a statement following his party's national executive meeting this week.
The main opposition party leader has so far found it difficult to win in rural areas, although he has dominated the urban electorate.
"With all due respect, we cannot, as a nation, allow a geriatric to preside over a modern economy," he said.
"Geriatrics should receive our care, but cannot govern the Twitter generation that now constitutes 60% of our population.
"Yesterday's people cannot comprehend the dynamics of today. Today's challenges need today's people. By virtue of his age, the President is certainly yesterday's man."
President Robert Mugabe is 93 years old and is Zanu PF's candidate for next year's presidential poll at 94, a world record.
Tsvangirai is presently trying to build a coalition with smaller opposition parties in a bid to reduce the impact of a "divided vote", as he prepares for another scrap for power with Mugabe for the umpteenth time.
"Now we note he (Mugabe) is desperately trying to endear himself to the young generation, whose future he has virtually destroyed," Tsvangirai said.
"His so-called youth interface rallies are bereft of any cogent message and are a testimony to his serious disconnect with the concerns and aspirations of the country's youth.
"Moreover, the disruptive closure of schools and the frog-marching of vendors sets a bad precedent of a culture of coercion, which does not bode well for the country, particularly on the eve of an election where people should be free to express themselves."
The MDC-T leader said Mugabe's age would be an election issue next year.
"We are heartened by the fact that some in Zanu PF have now realised that it would be the greatest national betrayal to allow a nonagenarian to seek a new term," he said.
"Indeed, the President's age is a key election issue. Zanu PF is failing to deal with this age crisis that has now become an albatross of the entire nation."
Mugabe and Zanu PF have dismissed concerns about his age and health, arguing the veteran leader is still fit to rule and run for office.
"Our teams are currently travelling the length and breadth of this country as we speak, empowering individuals and communities to take their destiny into their own hands, educating them on their voting rights and assisting them with ideas on how to confront the challenges that we are all currently facing," Tsvangirai said in a statement following his party's national executive meeting this week.
The main opposition party leader has so far found it difficult to win in rural areas, although he has dominated the urban electorate.
"With all due respect, we cannot, as a nation, allow a geriatric to preside over a modern economy," he said.
"Geriatrics should receive our care, but cannot govern the Twitter generation that now constitutes 60% of our population.
"Yesterday's people cannot comprehend the dynamics of today. Today's challenges need today's people. By virtue of his age, the President is certainly yesterday's man."
President Robert Mugabe is 93 years old and is Zanu PF's candidate for next year's presidential poll at 94, a world record.
Tsvangirai is presently trying to build a coalition with smaller opposition parties in a bid to reduce the impact of a "divided vote", as he prepares for another scrap for power with Mugabe for the umpteenth time.
"Now we note he (Mugabe) is desperately trying to endear himself to the young generation, whose future he has virtually destroyed," Tsvangirai said.
"His so-called youth interface rallies are bereft of any cogent message and are a testimony to his serious disconnect with the concerns and aspirations of the country's youth.
"Moreover, the disruptive closure of schools and the frog-marching of vendors sets a bad precedent of a culture of coercion, which does not bode well for the country, particularly on the eve of an election where people should be free to express themselves."
The MDC-T leader said Mugabe's age would be an election issue next year.
"We are heartened by the fact that some in Zanu PF have now realised that it would be the greatest national betrayal to allow a nonagenarian to seek a new term," he said.
"Indeed, the President's age is a key election issue. Zanu PF is failing to deal with this age crisis that has now become an albatross of the entire nation."
Mugabe and Zanu PF have dismissed concerns about his age and health, arguing the veteran leader is still fit to rule and run for office.
Source - newsday
