Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai booed during London address

Tsvangirai booed during London address
Tafadzwa Makawa
Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:14:00 +0000

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was booed and shouted down by angry crowd during a speech in London on Saturday, when he called for Zimbabweans to return home and help develop the country.

Tsvangirai told a about 1,000 Zimbabweans packed in London's Southwark Cathedral that he had one message, that "Zimbabweans must come home." Tsvangirai made the same pleas to exiles and business leaders in Britain's Daily Telegraph on Saturday.

"The government needs these professionals and we also need whatever savings they made to help economic development," Tsvangirai told the Telegraph during a visit to London and other European capitals. "It is time to come home."

His appeal was greeted by boos and chants after he said that: "If there is anyone who has been traumatised, it is me. I and the MDC have lost a lot in this struggle".

VIDEO >> click here for the video

Amidst boos, jeers and chants, the PM told Zimbabweans that he was being accussed by members of his party for "being swallowed" by Zanu PF. He said hardliners within the Zanu PF party were also blaming President Mugabe for making "too many compromises, that have weakened the vanguard party."

Tsvangirai also said the "revolution" that had been promised to MDC members did not happen, therefore it was necessary that his party makes an "evolution" from within Government structures.

The PM highlighted that the present inclusive Government was just a transitional arrangement which will last for only 18 months after which general elections will be held. "It represented the best solution to a crisis that has engulfed us as a people," he said.

He said that the priority of the inclusive Government was "economic stabilisation and re-engagement" with the family of nations.

He credited the inclusive Government for arresting hyperinflation and said that there was now food on supermarket shelves and that schools and hospitals had re-opened. He added: "We have also made sure that there is peace and stability in the country."

That comment provoked a noisy reaction from members of the audience.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti who is also visiting the country as part of the PM's entourage tried to calm the audience by calling for peace. The boos and jeers got louder.

PM Tsvangirai was challenged for not offering anything substantive to entice Zimbabweans living abroad to return home.

Chanting MDC slogans the booing crowd disrupted the PM's speech. When Tsvangirai could not be heard above the crowd, he left the pulpit for about five minutes before returning to face questions after church officials had intervened.

He said: "I did not say 'pack your bags tomorrow, I said you should now start thinking about coming home."

The prime minister eventually left about 45 minutes before the event had been scheduled to finish.He was ushered away by security guards amid a hail of fresh boos.

He is due to address the British Parliament on Tuesday before giving a luncheon speech at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House). The UK visit is the final stage of a tour of Europe and the US.

The British capital is the latest stop on a tour which has taken him to Washington, Berlin, Stockholm and Brussels as he drums up support for the inclusive Government of Zimbabwe.

Labels: DIASPORA, MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI

posted by MrK @ 6:02 AM