MASVINGO – Harrison Mudzuri, the legislator for Zaka Central representing the MDC, has attacked his party’s president, Morgan Tsvangirai, saying he is pretending all is well in Zimbabwe when violations continue despite the establishment of the inclusive government.Addressing journalists in Masvingo, Mudzuri said Tsvangirai, now Prime Minister in the inclusive government, was not listening to complaints from party members over harassment and political violence.
“Our Prime Minister and party leader is just pretending that things are right in the country when nothing has changed,” said Mudzuri.
“In fact our members are being harassed and arrested everyday, and when you try to tell the Prime Minister, he will say that such complaints will undermine the inclusive government.
“Our people, particularly in Zaka, are being beaten up everyday, and we have nowhere to complain because the Prime Minister says such information undermines the spirit of inclusiveness.”
Mudzuri is the younger brother of MDC national organising secretary Elias Mudzuri, who is also Minister of Energy and Power Development.
Turning to the issue of national healing, Mudzuri said those who killed people during the run-up to the June 27 presidential election runoff should all come out in the open in order for them to be forgiven.
Zaka district experienced some of the worst violence during the run-up to the presidential election runoff boycotted by Tsvangirai because of widespread violence against MDC supporters.
In one of the incidents three MDC supporters were burnt beyond recognition at Jerera Growth Point after the safe house in which they were living was set ablaze by known Zanu-PF supporters.
Five other MDC supporters in the house were seriously injured during the inferno and are still in hospital, almost a year after the incident.
“It is true that we want to forgive,” said Mudzuri, “but who do we forgive? Those who know that they need to be forgiven should first of all come out in the open and admit that they need forgiveness; then we will forgive.”
Mudzuri’s criticism of Tsvangirai comes about a week after the Prime Minister was booed in London for urging Zimbabweans living in the Diaspora to come back home.
The audience, which forced Tsvangirai to cut short his speech, dismissed his call and told the Prime Minister that they would only return after the removal of President Robert Mugabe from power.
Tsvangirai told US and European leaders during his international tour that he had a good working relationship with Mugabe, and that Zimbabwe was on an irreversible path to recovery and democratic reform.
Critics say his optimism was premature.
Back at home, events presented a contrast to Tsvangirai’s positive message. On Monday, his ministers boycotted a cabinet meeting, arguing Mugabe had moved the date of the meeting forward to prevent Tsvangirai from chairing it on Tuesday.
Tsvangirai returned from his tour on Monday as Mugabe was preparing to leave for an African Union meeting on Tuesday, the traditional day of the cabinet meetings.
* Zimbabwe Times
