(TALKZIMBABWE) Farmers dismiss Tsvangirai for presidency

Farmers dismiss Tsvangirai for presidency
By: Nancy Pasipanodya
Posted: Friday, July 9, 2010 5:21 am

BLACK farmers who recently attended a consultative meeting to give their views to the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) leading Zimbabwe’s constitutional reforms, have demanded that Zimbabwe should be led by a president with war credentials.

The farmers met at Igava farm, about 50km south of Marondera town in Mashonaland East province. About 200 farmers – one of the largest numbers given the low turnout at some of the constitutional outreach meetings – attended the meeting.

The farmers said having someone like MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai as president was tantamount to mortgaging Zimbabwe's land and mineral resources to the west. The farmers accussed Mr Tsvangirai of trying to reverse the gains of the liberation struggle.

“In Zimbabwe, we don't want a prime minister. What is his role? We want a president who has war credentials and understands our struggle,” said one farmer in vernacular Shona language.

"We do not want anyone to think that they can lead this country if they did not fight of it,” he said.

Another man, only addressed as Soko, expressed similar sentiments: “I fought hard for this country, and if someone who has links with the British we were fighting during the war becomes president, I would be insulted.

“Such people should only remain in opposition. We want a president with a track record and known history.”

Meanwhile, Mbare-based Chimurenga choir Nyatsoterera presented President Mugabe with a CD and DVD of their works.

The 10-track album is part of the Zanu-PF commissariat’s drive to record Zimbabwe’s jit music.

Producer Amos Mahendere said: "I am working with Cde Webster Shamu to record province and district choirs to revive Chimurenga music.

"People used to have pungwes and play pfonda and jit music. We have decided to revive that for memory’s sake as people recall the days when Zimbabwe was fighting for its Independence.

"Most of us, we are born-free Zimbabweans, but this project will help us remember how we got our Independence."