Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai dragging his feet over Holland tribal slur

Tsvangirai dragging his feet over Holland tribal slur
Floyd Nkomo
Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office responsible for National Healing and Reconciliation, Sekai Holland

PRIME MINISTER Morgan Tsvangirai is dragging his feet over the issue of Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office responsible for National Healing and Reconciliation, Sekai Holland’s King Mzilikazi “slur”.

The prime minister says he is still consulting on the matter, months after the tribalist comments were made.

As minister of national healing and reconciliation, Holland sparked an uproar when she allegedly referred to the founding Ndebele King Mzilikazi and his “mob” as being "a violent lot and cattle thieves" at a meeting in the Mozambican capital of Maputo.

PM Tsvangirai is said to be hoping that the issue which sparked an uproar in the Matabeleland region would “die a natural death”.

In an interview last week, the spokesman for PM Tsvangirai, James Maridadi said the MDC-T leader was still making consultations on the best way to deal with the matter.

He said the issue was a sensitive matter and PM Tsvangirai needed time to consult and arrive at the best decision.

“It is a delicate matter, which must be handled with care. It is not an issue like any other issue. It involves a senior Government official and party official. It has implications for the nation,” he said.

Sources, however, say the PM and MDC-T leader was trying to sweep the issue under the carpet.

Last week, a pressure group, Ibhetshu Likazulu, issued a press statement titled, “We Have Not Disengaged From Sekai Holland,” vowing that they will never let the issue die down.

“We wish to reiterate our stance that Sekai Holland must go,” the statement said.

They said the country could not afford to have a Minister of National Healing who promotes hatred, division and tribalism.

“We are a people who have suffered unparalleled deprivation, underdevelopment and pain. We are sick and tired of being used for votes by political parties like MDC-T only to get insults as reward.

“We are watching with concern how MDC-T treats Matabeleland. First it was the issue of appointing only one Minister from the region, suddenly it was Sekai Holland insults,” the press statement said.

Early last month Ibhetshu Likazulu in collaboration with a number of politicians and other civic society leaders in Bulawayo called for the resignation of Minister Holland.

The leaders said there was an attempt to sweep the issue under the carpet.

They accused Prince Zwidekalanga Khumalo of being part of a plot to sweep the issue under the carpet by reducing it to a Khumalo family issue.

Prince Khumalo however reacted and set the record straight and said as far as he was concerned it was an issue to be debated by the whole "Ndebele nation".

Maridadi drew criticism from groups in Matabeleland when he said Ibhetshu Likazulu were not a stakeholder in the issue.

He said they had a right to issue press statements, even after PM Tsvangirai reaches his decision, they would still have that right.

“My assurance is that a lot of consultation is going on as we are speaking and the Prime Minister is taking the issue very seriously and is taking his time to consult,” he said.

He could not say who the stakeholders were but said Ibhetshu Likazulu, “were not stakeholders in the issue.”

Ibhetshu Likazulu said they will not stop pursuing the prime minister over the Holland issue.

“Unless Holland is fired, the MDC-T will get nothing from Matabeleland. The issue will never die a natural death, never, never, never!” the civic group said in its press statement.

Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, SEKAI HOLLAND

posted by MrK @ 8:32 AM