Tsvangirai Calls for National Indaba as Zimbabwe Economy Stutters
Tsvangirai says the nation should convene a national convergence conference of all political parties in the country, churches, business community and civil society.
WASHINGTON DC — Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) founding president Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday called for the holding of a national conference to discuss the country's social, economic and political problems. He urged regional African leaders to intervene saying the situation is getting out of hand. Mr. Tsvangirai told a news conference at the MDC-T Harvest House headquarters that his party is spearheading the convening of what he called a national convergence conference of all political parties in the country, churches, business community and civil society organizations designed to deal with the problems afflicting the nation. The opposition leader said the ruling Zanu PF party would also be invited to the gathering, which he proposes should be held within the next two months. He said there is urgent need to tackle the country's economy currently on a downward turn. The former prime minister further said he does not expect President Robert Mugabe to be out of the country on holiday especially now when floods are wreaking havoc in some parts of the country. On the nation’s increasing unemployment rate, Mr. Tsvangirai appealed to the Southern Africa Development Community and the African Union to intervene in order to resolve in the Zimbabwean crises. Zanu PF senior member, Paul Mangwana, has dismissed Tsvangirai’s call for dialogue to resolve Zimbabwe’s problems. Independent political analyst, Sidney Masamvu, said he doesn't see Zanu PF attending the conference. Turning to Wednesday's evictions of more than 200 families by the police in Mazowe to pave way for First Lady Grace Mugabe's animal sanctuary, Mr. Tsvangirai said it was now time that Mrs. Mugabe was called to order. Meanwhile, lawyers representing the evicted families say they are preparing to take the matter to court for contempt of an order that compelled anyone seeking to evict the families to seek alternative pieces of land for them. Reacting to the eviction of farmers in Mazowe, the MDC Renewal Team has condemned the on-going displacements of hundreds of villagers at Manzou Farm in Mashonaland Central’s Mazowe district, which is meant to make way for Mrs. Grace Mugabe’s animal farm and related projects. The MDC Renewal Team said in statement, the evictions are not only heartless but also unconstitutional as they violate basic human rights as defined in Zimbabwe’s constitution. The party said the eviction during the rainy season is “itself a shameful indictment of the first lady and President Mugabe as the evictees risk having their belongings destroyed by the rains.”