(TALKZIMBABWE) McGee admits playing golf with Tsvangirai

McGee admits playing golf with Tsvangirai
Our reporter
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:53:00 +0000

THE U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe, James McGee has admitted playing gold with Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai in an interview with SW Radio Africa – a shortwave radio station beaming into Zimbabwe from London. McGee was confronted over the golf course match-ups with the former trade union leader by SW Radio Africa’s Violet Gonda in an interview on Friday.

McGee revealed the news in an interview with Violet Gonda in an interview on the Hot Seat programme on Friday.

McGee described Tsvangirai as “new to the game”, but said during the matches they were “not talking matters of State, we are talking about our poor golf swing” and that these matches were an opportunity to ““walk and talk (with Tsvangirai) for four hours”.

McGee also said that he will not stop playing golf with the Prime Minister-designate regardless of how politicians in the ruling party view that relationship.

“I did play golf with Morgan Tsvangirai and I have played golf with Morgan Tsvangirai before and I will continue to play golf with Morgan Tsvangirai,” said McGee.

“Despite the fact that people think we work 24 hours a day, we don’t,” McGee continued. “We do need to unwind and have some social relaxation. I enjoy playing golf with Morgan Tsvangirai.

The U.S. Ambassador added that “the idea behind diplomatic involvement in any country was to be involved with the government and the people who occupy seats in government in that particular country”, referring to the time he spent with Tsvangirai.