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(NEWZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai blames ‘outsiders’ for violence

Tsvangirai blames ‘outsiders’ for violence
Infiltration ... Morgan Tsvangirai speaks to reporters in Harare
by
16/05/2010 00:00:00

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has claimed outsiders are stirring trouble in his party. Speaking at a news conference Sunday after a two-day meeting of his party’s national executive, Tsvangirai was asked about clashes that broke out last month within his party.

He said some people have been expelled from the party over the violence and that efforts will be stepped up to educate members about resolving differences peacefully. "There's a lot of infiltration," The MDC-T leader added without elaborating.

The MDC-T's director general was recently attacked by youths at the party’s Harvest House head offices in central Harare.

An internal probe blamed the clashes on power struggles between Tsvangirai and secretary general Tendai Biti who is also the minister of finance.

Meanwhile Tsvangirai also called for an immediate Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit to resolve major disagreements stalling implementation of the power-sharing government with President Robert Mugabe.

"The party urges the immediate convening of a SADC summit to resolve the matter which SADC summit should clearly discuss the road map to an election and guarantees to the legitimacy of this election," Tsvangirai said.

He added that the "parties and principals of the parties must take measures to implement and execute the agreed position."

Since the setting up of the power sharing agreement last year, Mugabe and Tsvangirai have failed to resolve so-called ‘outstanding issues’ in the implementation of the power sharing agreement.

Tsvangirai also reiterated that his party will not change its position on forwarding Roy Bennett's name as their appointee for the post of deputy minister of agriculture.

"On a matter of principle ZANU-PF, President Mugabe have no right to appoint anyone in cabinet other than ourselves, because they don't have that veto power.

"Secondly ZANU-PF cannot make a position that Bennett cannot (be sworn in). It's not a state position," Tsvangirai said.

President Mugabe has said Bennett would not be sworn into office until he was cleared of treason charges.

The High Court acquitted the MDC-T treasurer of the charges last week but the state immediately announced it would appeal the decision.

Labels: MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, POLITICAL VIOLENCE

posted by MrK @ 10:30 PM