By Tichaona Sibanda
08 October 2012
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has threatened to pull out of the inclusive
government if his party supporters continue to be victims of political
violence.
Speaking in Zaka, Masvingo province this weekend, the Premier said he would
soon convene an emergency council meeting to decide whether or not to stay
in the inclusive government.
The district of Zaka witnessed some of the worst cases of political violence
during the 2008 elections. A number of MDC-T supporters were petrol bombed
and killed during the orgy of violence, largely perpetrated by soldiers and
ZANU PF militia.
Last week the party’s ward chairman in Zaka, Nelson Bvudzijena, was injured
when his house was petrol bombed. He was taken to the St Anthony’s Musiso
hospital were the MDC leader paid him visit.
Tsvangirai also accused ZANU PF leader Robert Mugabe of being a hypocrite,
who denounced violence by day and promoted it by night.
He told his supporters that his message to Mugabe is that they cannot
pretend to be working together when violence is taking place, adding that he
would confront Mugabe and tell him to ‘shape up or the MDC-T will ship out.’
He continued: ‘I am going to call an emergency council meeting to see if it
is worth it to continue in the government of national unity. Shall we
continue to turn a blind eye when my supporters are being tortured, when
diamonds are being looted?’
Political analyst Mutsa Murenje told SW Radio Africa on Monday that while
everyone agrees that an end to the unity government is long overdue, there
is a danger a pull out could prompt Mugabe to delay the elections.
‘The unity government is long overdue, nobody still wants it but only free,
fair and credible elections can end that. The end of the government must be
promptly followed by elections but do conditions permit? So the threats won’t
really work if they don’t have an alternative and palliative measure to deal
with what is likely to happen after the pull out,’ Murenje said.
A Masvingo based journalist said the main message from Tsvangirai’s address
to his supporters was for ZANU PF to stop the serial political violence
against the MDC.
‘I don’t think a pull out is possible at this hour, it will be suicidal but
what I can read from what he said is that this time around they won’t
tolerate violence against their supporters.
‘It’s also clear that he warns such impunity on political violence, if it
continues, leaves no room for clean elections in Zimbabwe,’ the journalist
said.
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