Maravi

Tsvangirai changes campaign tactics

Tsvangirai changes campaign tactics
By Kingsley Kaswende in Harare
Thursday June 05, 2008 [04:00]

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has changed his campaign tactics ahead of the forthcoming runoff by taking his lobby to the streets, having been banned by police from holding rallies. His rallies in Hwange and Victoria Falls were banned over the weekend, but he returned to Bulawayo, one of the strongest opposition bases and conducted walk-abouts on the streets of restless suburbs.

Accompanied by his party's campaign team, Tsvangirai visited politically explosive townships such as Makhokhoba, Nkulumane, Phelandaba, Luveve, Magwegwe and parts of the central business district. Bulawayo is Zimbabwe's second largest city.

Party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said Tsvangirai was mobbed by excited supporters who urged him to finish off Mugabe in the runoff.

Chamisa said Tsvangirai had found it difficult to campaign since his return home two weeks ago after more than a month of operating from South Africa and Botswana.

"Whatever they ruling party do, they will not stop the momentum. If you drive, you must know that there comes a time when you can't stop a car that is in high momentum even if you slam emergency brakes," Chamisa said in an interview.

"They are trying to disable and throw our campaign into disarray but this is only making us more determined and the people are more resolute to vote out Mugabe this time round than ever before."

Tsvangirai's counterpart Professor Arthur Mutambara, who leads another faction of the MDC, was arrested on Sunday and charged with publishing statements prejudicial to the state and for contempt of court after he recently wrote a newspaper article criticising Mugabe for his government's handling of elections in March.

Prof Mutambara was released on a Z$20 billion bail on Tuesday and is due to appear in court.

Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, MDC

posted by MrK @ 5:39 PM