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THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 10 2010 11:13 | LAST UPDATED Feb 10 2010 11:13
News | Africa | Southern Africa

Tsvangirai urges Mugabe to treat him as equal partner

CHITUNGWIZA, ZIMBABWE Nov 09 2009 07:20
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Zimbabwe Prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Sunday appealed to President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party to treat him as equal partner in the power sharing government.

"If you want this inclusive government to deliver hope to the people of Zimbabwe, then you must regard the MDC as an equal partner not as a junior partner," Tsvangirai told his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters at a rally in Chitungwiza, south-east of Harare.

"We are not a junior partner when we have the mandate of the people," he said.

The rally was Tsvangirai's first public address after calling off a three week boycott of the power sharing government with Mugabe's camp, which he accused of being "dishonest and unreliable".

The stand-off, which was resolved last Thursday in Mozambique by regional leaders, threatened to paralyse the fragile unity government formed in February this year.

"We have come a long way, both as a party and as prime minister, we will not be shaken," Tsvangirai told a crowd of about 4 000 people.

Following the snub, Tsvangirai and his officials stayed away from three consecutive Cabinet meetings with partners from Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) and the smaller faction of the MDC, lead by Arthur Mutambara.

One of the main reasons behind Tsvangirai's decision was the detention of MDC treasurer Roy Bennett who will on Monday appear in court on terrorism charges.

Bennett, a former coffee farmer was first arrested in February, shortly after arriving from South Africa to take up the position of deputy agriculture minister.

CONTINUES BELOW


He is currently out on bail and faces a death sentence if convicted. - AFP
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When will tsvangirai have a backbone? this man is the one who is misleading Zimbabwe. He behaves like a child and expects SADC to respect him. Tsvangirai must finaly accept that ZanuPF will not accept an arrangement backed by the West, which has been very hypocritical in the way they have handled Zim and have used media propaganda to demonise Mugabe.

Mthuthuzeli Gqokoma on November 9, 2009, 10:03 am
The biggest problem in Zimbabwe is the Zimbabweans. They allowed Pres. Robert Mugabe to feed them with propagand for too long. He controlledthe media, controlling what can be printed, in the process brain-washing everybody including the proffesionals. I thought by now they would have seen through him, but it does not seem to be the case.

There is no fire without smoke, Tsvangarai is right he can not be a puppet partner. Mugabe is not channel his efforts on building the nation but he tackles MDC through and through. I personally respect Tsvangarai because he does not appear to be a compromiser. He show that he can be a reliable leader.

The West story /blaming has become a boring chorus from the Zanu-PF supporters, Mugabe's inner circle.

Really, the west has rigged their agreement with Zimbabwe, can really do things the way Mugabe did and in the process ruining your own land?
Samuel Manyama on November 9, 2009, 10:37 am
I think your report captured the truth Tsvangirai "appeals" to Mugabe not to be treated as a junior partner. Of course Mugabe is not going to be moved one bit; well he is a heartless dictator with a reputation to uphold!
Wilbert Mukori on November 9, 2009, 10:09 pm
Two years ago Zimbabweans where full of hope determined to go and vote for change. They braved Mugabe's thugs and voted giving Tsvangirai and MDC the mandate to govern. Little did they know Tsvangirai would give it all away and the dictator would still have his boot on their necks.

People used to joke about the late Simon Muzenda’s lack of ambition, he was really content to be Vice President with Mugabe as President. Tsvangirai is even worse; he is content to be the dictator's office messenger!
Wilbert Mukori on November 9, 2009, 10:29 pm
Tsvangirai is not a leader.HE GOT THE MAJORITY OF Votes when he was in opposition and failed to rule the country..what a waste of space.Failure, failure..but luckily Zimbabweans only look a tribal convenience for leadership ..mugabe and tsvangirai are failures.....he you ever imagined WHAT CUOULD HAVE HAPPEned if Mandela was a Zimbawean? He was going to be toppled while in prison and could have discovered there were 10 or ANCs.....shame , shame, they make it easy for peole to think tribally
somhlaba mthunzi on November 10, 2009, 3:39 pm
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