(TALKZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai expels youths over violence

Tsvangirai expels youths over violence
By: Nyasha Marimbe
Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 5:00 am

THE Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) party led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has dismissed five youth for taking part in violence last month, against previous claims that they were not a violent party.

Mr Tsvangirai, who was addressing journalists in Harare after his party's executive council meeting, also announced the party would be appealing to the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to conveneve a summit to help with resolving the "political crisis" in the country.

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

Tsvangirai, whose stance seemed to have changed since his visit to Washington last week, also said his party would continue to pursue a solution within Sadc, and only a Sadc solution would satisfy his party.

"Until there is a collection decision of Sadc, we will not be satisfied. We will only be satisfied when this attempt to rrsolve the dispute or the outstanding issues at the summit. If they fail we will think of other measures but for now its up to President Zuma to facilitate the disputed areas. I am sure that it is within the capacity of President Zuma and Sadc to resolve them."

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma is the mediator to Zimbabwe's power-sharing talks aimed at resolving outstanding issues hampering the full implementation of the GPA, signed by Zanu-PF and the two MDCs.

The MDC leader dismissed concerns by revolutionary party Zanu-PF that they will block the appointment to Cabinet of his close ally Roy Bennett, who once served in the anti-Black, apartheid administration of Ian Smith.

Mr Tsvangirai accused Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa (from Zanu-PF) of blocking Bennett's swearing in saying Zanu-PF policies could not be allowed to dictate government business.

"Zanu-PF, President Mugabe have no right to appoint any one in Cabinet other than ourselves because they don't have that veto power.

Zanu-PF cannot make a position on Bennett. That is a Zanu-PF position. Its not a State position. The prosecution was done by the state not by Zanu-PF. We will not accept, neither the prosecution nor the persecution of Roy Bennett," said Mr Tsvangirai.

Mr Tsvangirai said the MDC-T had dismissed five youth from the party over violence at the party headquarters, Harvest House in April.

"The following youths who were at the epicentre of the violence are forthwith expelled from the party: Rhino Mashaya, Shakespear Mukoyi,Stephen Jahwi, Todini Todini and Francis Machimbizofa," the MDC-:T leader said.

"That the above youths shall participate in any activities of the party and that no member of the party shall, within the context of party activities, associate or entertain the above."

Mr Tsvangirai said his party will implement "non-violent conflict management and team building programmes" throughout the party structures across the country.