MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday addressed over 20 000 party supporters in Sakubva in Mutare promising to deal with corruption in government, creating jobs and resuscitating the country’s economy if he wins this month’s elections.
REPORT BY BY OBEY MANAYITI AND CLAYTON MASEKESA
Tsvangirai, who is the country’s Prime Minister, said Zimbabwe needed responsible and selfless leadership that would effectively respond to the country’s problems. He said the country needed focused leadership which will manage to create jobs, resuscitate the economy, shun violence, greed and corruption.
He also spoke strongly against hate speech.
“If we check on [President Robert] Mugabe’s record in Zimbabwe, he has literally destroyed this country. Today’s enemy is no longer yesterday’s enemy. Today we are fighting poverty and underdevelopment,” said Tsvangirai. “The culture of governance in this country should change. We want leadership that assures and guarantees the freedom of its citizens. We want leadership that does not preach violence, we want leadership change so that we have a culture of consultation. We should not fear our leaders,” he said.
The MDC-T leader condemned Zanu PF’s indigenisation and empowerment programme that he said would destroy the country’s economy.
The programme, which the MDC-T said was benefitting only Zanu PF youths, is being spearheaded by the Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment, Saviour Kasukuwere.
“We want to create new wealth and not like what is being done by [Saviour] Kasukuwere to destroy the current economy. We want to develop this economy. We will revamp collapsed industries so that we create jobs,” he said.
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Tsvangirai said an MDC-T government would focus on developing infrastructure such as railway network, roads, dams and schools. He also promised to review the mining contracts signed between the government and the diamond mining companies for the sake of transparency. He said some of them were faulty and had serious loopholes that promoted corruption. He also took aim at the Chinesed nationals who harassed Zimbabweans at their workplaces. The MDC-T leader urged the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) to look into the alleged cases of unfair labour practices by Chinese nationals.
Tsvangirai also blasted MDC-T youth leaders for saying reckless statements that promote political violence.
“Our youths, [Solomon] Madzore and [Promise] Mkwananzi, I don’t want to hear anyone who talks about violence from today onwards,” said Tsvangirai. “Elections should be done peacefully. I don’t want to hear anyone who talks about the language which promotes hate speech and violence.”
MDC-T youth president Solomon Madzore last week said they were prepared to shed blood for Tsvangirai, a statement that has received widespread condemnation.
