Tsvangirai calls for demos

MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai has urged Zimbabweans to come out of their cocoons and engage in street protests against President Robert Mugabe's 34-year-rule which has been characterised by suffering and abuse.

Speaking during the party's 15th anniversary celebrations at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo on Saturday, Tsvangirai called for a nationwide demonstration to put pressure on Mugabe's government to address the economic challenges facing the country.

At the event attended by close to 15 000 party supporters, Tsvangirai said:

"As we speak now, people are suffering and we are going back to the old days. The problem is that we are docile. I crave to see workers coming to an all people's demo, demanding a living wage, employers coming to the streets protesting against company closures, churches, students and young people demanding jobs."

Tsvangirai said his party was ready to support the people of Zimbabwe from the various sectors including labour, employers, church, civic society, youth and women organisations in joining hands to confront Mugabe through nationwide mass protests.

He said the economic nose dive was severely affecting lives of millions of Zimbabweans and it was time for Zimbabweans to say no to Zanu-PF abuses.

Tsvangirai added: "Vanhu varikunonga svosve nemuromo mudzimba umo ne nyaya ye economy ye nyika yodzokera kuya (People are suffering because of the bad economy). As MDC, we are ready to support the people to take to the streets to express themselves. It is a given right in the Constitution to demonstrate, so we have every reason to do that and if we are going to be arrested we are prepared to fill all the jails in the country."

The MDC leader lamented the continued suffering of the people of Zimbabwe while the Zanu-PF government was busy fighting for positions along factional lines.

Tsvangirai said he defeated Mugabe and Zanu-PF in successive elections since 2002 and that the ruling party had to use illegal means to remain in power.

He added that he was proud that the party rescued the country during the time they were in the inclusive government with Zanu-PF.

"We rescued this country from the precipice; opening schools and hospitals that had closed and giving Zimbabweans every reason to believe in the functionality of government once again. We brought confidence to the country, we brought life to a terminally sick economy and gave a distressed people a reason to hope again. And now Zimbabweans can see that without us, the nation is once again headed for the precipice," he said.

He accused Mugabe of ignoring the people's concerns and the decaying economy while  focusing on consolidating his power for the benefit of his family.

"The Government has suddenly stopped to work for the people as the Zanu-PF politicians are busy fighting for positions, while Mugabe is busy trying to consolidate power so that he will leave it to his wife and children. He is trying to create a Mugabe dynasty to rule this country but we will not allow that," said Tsvangirai.

The MDC leader said his party will pressurise Mugabe until he gives in to demands of finding a solution to the country's economy.

He said that the MDC was in total support of intentions by the workers in the country through their Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) body to engage in mass protests just like his party youths have since done.

The anniversary celebrations were attended by the party leadership including Tsvangirai's deputy, Thokozani Khupe, acting secretary-general Tapiwa Mashakada , the party's chairman, Lovemore Moyo and women assembly boss, Theresa Makone.