MDC-T hints at countrywide anti-Mugabe demos

THE MDC-T yesterday said it was planning countrywide protests against President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF rule saying this would be the best way to salvage the people from the current crisis bedevilling the country.

Addressing party supporters during a provincial rally in Kuwadzana in Harare, Kuwadzana East MP Nelson Chamisa said the economy was nose-diving because Zanu-PF was proving to be clueless in dealing with the current crisis.

"We will go back to the 2008 situation if nothing is done. The Zimbabwean problem is a political problem, it's a crisis of governance," said Chamisa, who is also the party's organising secretary.

"Section 59 of the country's Constitution gives us the right to demonstrate. We will not be violent in our demonstration, we will not use guns, but our rights will be our guns."

However, previous mass actions by the MDC-T have failed to remove Mugabe and Zanu-PF or mobilise enough support to protest.

MDC-T's 2002 final push in protest over the results of presidential elections also failed to remove Mugabe.

Former St Marys MP Job Sikhala, who recently joined the MDC-T from his project MDC99, said Mugabe should prepare for the biggest fight of his lifetime.

"If you see Sikhala coming to unite with Tsvangirai, note that you are in the final phase of the revolution," he said.

"Even Mugabe and his Zanu-PF are having running tummies because of this unity. We are tired and we can't wait until 2018. You don't even have a dollar to buy vegetables and you would have died by then. We are looking at extraordinary methods and means to deal with Mugabe."

Sikhala proposed that the MDC-T should stop participating in all by-elections and focus on campaigning to dislodge Mugabe.

Chamisa said former MDC-T deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma, recently fired for insubordination should stay home and stop confusing people.

He warned MDC-T MPs to remain loyal and "clear" in support of the party leader or risk expelling themselves from the party. Mangoma was fired together with national executive member, Last Maengahama, youth assembly secretary-general Promise Mkhwananzi and former legal advisor in the then Prime Minister Tsvangirai's office Jacob Mafume.

Mafume is the spokesperson for the MDC-Team which is calling for leadership renewal.

"Those who are saying we are not following the values of the MDC were not there when the party was formed," said Chamisa.

"Mangoma joined the party in 2006 when he came from another party. We gave him power and the problem with nestling is it wants to fly before it has wings."

Chamisa said the party was getting stronger after "vomiting" some members and rejoining with founding members of the struggle like Sikhala.

He also described continued participation in by-elections as "nonsensical and useless".

"MPs and provincial leaders must be clear. If you can't be in the right position, you subtract yourself and we are clear about that," he said.

Chamisa said Zanu-PF was in disarray and the confusion in the party was evident in Parliament and government where they are exposing and fighting each other while the country suffers.

"The main actor will not die before the end of the film and we will make it to a new Zimbabwe," he said.