You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Africa Subsaharan
Zimbabwe: Mugabe Dared to Kill Protesters
2016-09-12
All major opposition political parties yesterday vowed to defy President Bob Muggsy Mugabe
Octogenarian President-for-Life of Zim-bob-we who turned the former Breadbasket of Africa into the African Basket Case...
's threats against demonstrations, saying they are prepared to die on the streets for their freedom.

Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T party, Joice Mujuru's People First, the Welshman Ncube-led MDC, People's Democratic Party led by Tendai Biti and other members of the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) representing all of Zim-bob-we's opposition parties said yesterday that following Mugabe's deadly threats against opposition leaders, they had met and resolved to resume the demonstrations on an even higher note.

Addressing the Zanu PF central committee meeting on Friday, Mugabe warned the opposition, in particular MDC-T leader, Tsvangirai that he would unleash his full wrath on them if they continued with street protests against his rule. He said his patience was running out and that no one should blame him for whatever would befall the opposition leaders.

MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, however, said in view of Mugabe's threats and police brutality, opposition parties had met on Friday and agreed to turn up the heat on the 92-year-old Zanu PF leader.

"We will up our game against Mugabe. We are not afraid of him or his police. He must know that we are not about to negotiate with him for our constitutional rights and as Nera, we have resolved to continue with demonstrations," he said.

Mwonzora accused Mugabe of being delusional and forgetting that he was the one who signed the 2013 constitution into law, that he now wanted to violate.

The MDC-T said it would stand in defiance and let the police decide whether or not to harm demonstrators in the wake of statements by Mugabe, which seemed to give the police a free reign.

"It's the choice of the police whether or not they should shed blood of innocent protestors. That there are murderers in the system will not stop us from sending a message and taking action which will benefit the future of Zim-bob-we," said Mwonzora.

Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka said Mugabe was caught up in an "embarrassing time warp," as he was failing to understand that demonstrations were permissible in the new constitution.

"He is living out of his time; an analogue politician in a digital age, a Remington typewriter in an internet cafe. President Tsvangirai is not moved at all by these threats from an old man shocked to the core by the resurgence of people power," Tamborinyoka said.

He accused Mugabe of always blaming Tsvangirai for whatever problem he faced including family issues.

"He is haunted by the ghost of the man who has taught him electoral defeat to the extent that even where the people speak he sees not them but the ghost of his political master, the only man who makes him quiver like reeds in a howling storm," Tamborinyoka said.

Zim-bob-we People First (ZimPF) said following years of experience working with Mugabe, their leader and former Vice President, Joice Mujuru, was well aware that the Zanu PF leader was not a person to negotiate with.

"The people who have been in Zanu PF and are now with ZimPF know from experience that you cannot negotiate with Mugabe. The only language he understands is the demonstrations, so we are not going to attempt to negotiate with him," ZimPF spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire said.
Posted by:Fred

#1  Translation: A falling out among thieves.
Posted by: Pappy   2016-09-12 11:35  

00:00