‘Save our country’ - Morgan

HARARE - MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai’s juggernaut rolled in to Binga and Victoria Falls at the weekend to rally support for his new ‘Save our Country’ campaign, which aims to unify the nation.

The campaign seeks to bring together all progressive forces, students, workers, civil society, rural and urban dwellers and people of all tribes and races, to engage in effective mass action to force change in Zimbabwe.

On Saturday he addressed meetings at Manjolo and Siachilaba growth points in Binga each attended by about 6 000 people. On Sunday an estimated 10 000 people gathered at Chinotimba Stadium in Victoria Falls to pledge their support for mass resistance.

“The President emphasised that there is only one MDC, which is stronger after Congress. He told them about the leadership renewal, which is energetic, and explained the congress resolutions,” said party spokesman Nelson Chamisa.

Tsvangirai told the people that elections would not be the main focus for the MDC until such time as the electoral process in Zimbabwe was transparent and internationally monitored.
He encouraged people to question the role of their chiefs, who are being forced to misuse their traditional authority to frighten the people and prop up Zanu (PF).

Tsvangirai also outlined the party’s road map for a new Zimbabwe, which involved a new constitution and the setting up of a multi-party transitional administration to oversee the transformation of national institutions that had been hi-jacked by Zanu (PF). These included the CIO, the police, the army and others.

“The positive reception of our message by these rural folk, many of them elderly and ailing, who have suffered so much, was humbling,” said Chamisa. Many in the crowds had walked for hours to attend the meetings. – Own correspondent

We did not meet Mbeki - MDC

HARARE – The MDC has denied reports in South African newspapers and posted on several Zimbabwean websites of a recent meeting between SA president Thabo Mbeki and Morgan Tsvangirai.

“He was in South Africa on party business that had nothing to do with Mbeki,” said spokesman Nelson Chamisa this week. “The reports are merely speculative and baseless.”
Asked about Mbeki’s reported attempts to bring together the warring factions of the MDC, Chamisa said he was unaware of any such attempt.

“In any case it is unnecessary. We are now stronger in terms of both leadership and membership than before,” he said. “Reports of such attempts come from those who want to legitimise themselves by making it seem as if they are on a par with the main MDC.”