(TALKZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai threatens to pull out of the GPA

Tsvangirai threatens to pull out of the GPA
TC/TZG
Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:51:00 +0000

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the former opposition Movement for Democratic Change, addresses supporters at a rally in Bulawayo September 13, 2009. The rally was held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the party's founding. REUTERS.

THE Movement for Democratic Change leader and Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday threatened that his party could pull out of the inclusive Government alleging that Zanu PF was failing to honour the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed on September 15 2008.

His hard line stance seems to have gained impetus as the first European Union delegation to visit Zimbabwe since 2002 said that targeted sanctions would not be lifted until the principals had resolved their differences.

Speaking during his party's 10th anniversary celebrations at White City Stadium, the MDC-T leader however said the final decision on whether the party stays in Government or not rested with the people.

He announced that the party leadership will go around the country in the next month asking its supporters if it was viable for MDC-T to remain in Government.

“As a party, we have agreed that in the next month, we are all going to consult the people of Zimbabwe on the future of this Government. We are coming to ask you if this Government is viable. It is you who will tell us what to do," he said.

“I’m not threatening anyone, but a time will come when we say enough is enough. If as a wife you are being abused and beaten by your husband don't say, I will remain in the marriage because I have children. Get out of the marriage."

Tsvangirai alleged that Zanu PF' leadership was working against the GPA, which led to the formation of the inclusive Government by the two parties and the MDC party led by Professor Arthur Mutambara.

He said his party entered the inclusive Government in an effort to find a solution to the problems affecting the country and was committed to ensuring that Government worked.

He however claimed that the Zanu PF leadership was not committed to fulfilling "all the provisions" of the GPA and was "spreading hate language through the Press."

“As MDC, we went into the Government with a very serious commitment because we believed that if this Government can work we can improve the lives of our people. We were very sincere and were reconciliatory because we didn't want to be seen as people trying to disrupt the resolution of the national crisis, but what has happened?"

"We have seen our colleagues in the Government, those in Zanu PF promote hate speech through the papers, arrest our party officials, even refusing to accept that this is a shared compromise."

Tsvangirai said he was unhappy about the titles being given to the President by the media as they were against the GPA, which specified the roles of the President and Prime Minister. He said the GPA stated that the President and Prime Minister shared executive authority but this was being ignored.

Tsvangirai, who insisted that he won the inconclusive Presidential election in March last year, said he had compromised and joined the inclusive Government to help restore the country but his patience had been stretched to the limit, by the non- implementation of certain aspects of the GPA.

“I am a very tolerant person. I would have not sat on the same table with (President) Mugabe. Even after winning the elections I compromised and joined the Government…But please don't misjudge me. You can misjudge me at your own peril. I'm not going to standby while Zanu PF violates the GPA," he said.

Tsvangirai said his party would continue to push for "real change" where there will be security of all people and the observance of human rights.

On sanctions, Tsvangirai, again preferred to call them "restrictive measures" and alleged that they were imposed because of human rights violations. He said it was up to the Government to convince the countries that imposed them by respecting people's rights and fully implementing the GPA.

Earlier, the party's Secretary for Youth, Thamsanqa Mahlangu, chairperson of the party's Women's Assembly, Theresa Makone had called for the party to pull out of the inclusive Government.