Mugabe Given 30-Day Ultimatum - President
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Iz qula enzo u I G ze o n ir z it o a G M u q a j u n l i a h C C h o i r n i t j i a a M M a a i j t i n r i o h C The Changing Times Movement for Democratic Change A Party of Excellence! The Official Mouthpiece of the MDC Tuesday 10 November MDC Information & Publicity Department, Harvest House, 44 Nelson Mandela Ave, Harare, Zimbabwe Issue 008 2009 Distributed free of charge Mugabe given 30-day ultimatum - President President Morgan Tsvangirai addresses a rally at Chibuku Stadium in Chitungwiza Sunday Thousands who thronged the rally in Chitungwiza Sunday CHITUNGWIZA - President Morgan “As a result we are going back into reversal of the unilateral appointment of “We believe and trust that it is a solution Meanwhile, more than 5 000 people Tsvangirai on Sunday warned President government and during this period we the partisan Attorney-General, Johannes that offers Zimbabweans and the GPA attended an MDC rally at Shawasha Robert Mugabe that his attempts to will see if Zanu PF is sincere.” Tomana and the Reserve Bank of a fresh impetus and a new opportunity grounds in Mbare on Saturday. treat the MDC as a junior partner would Zimbabwe governor, Gideon Gono, who for a restart,” Hon Biti said in the backfire, reminding the octogenarian The rally was President Tsvangirai’s has plundered the national economy. statement. “It is for this reason that we The rally was meant for the party dictator that the MDC had the first public address after calling off a have accepted the summit appeal for leadership to brief the people on mandate of the people from elections three week disengagement from all Other oustanding issues include the suspending our disengagement until the issues affecting Mbare residents convincingly won by the party last year forums that the MDC interacted with delay in swearing-in Senator Roy process is concluded.” such as the controversial issue of in March. Zanu PF, namely Cabinet and the Bennett as Deputy Agriculture minister- the Mupedzanhamo flea market, council of ministers. designate. Five MDC officials must Hon. Biti added: “It would be a sad where Zanu PF bigwigs are resisting Addressing over 30 000 MDC also be appointed provincial governors. day indeed if the next four weeks are a transparent rationalisation of the supporters at Chibuku Stadium in The MDC’s disengagement, had to be wasted. Indeed we should not be allocation of market stalls. spawned a critical constitutional crisis forced to consider the re-imposition of Chitungwiza on Sunday, President President Tsvangirai also bemoaned the and immediately thrown Mugabe into the disengagement.” Tsvangirai said the MDC expected all continued persecution of MDC officials Speaking at the rally, Senator Komichi an embarassing legitimacy crisis, which outstanding issues which were affecting At the rally, President Tsvangirai applauded the people of Mbare for threatened to torpedo the nine-month citing the recent incarceration of MDC the inclusive government would be was accompanied by the top MDC fighting for democratic change through old fragile inclusive government. transport manager, Pascal Gwezere resolved within 30 days as directed on trumped-up charges of stealing leadership who included Vice President non-violent means. He dismissed claims by the troika summit held in Maputo Hon. Thokozani Khupe, the secretary- by Zanu PF that the party was linked to President Tsvangirai said the weapons of war. last week. general, Hon. Biti and his deputy, Hon. constitutional crisis spawned by 20 AK-47 rifles that have disappeared Tapiwa Mashakada. the disengagement of the MDC from the highly-secured Pomona President Tsvangirai, who was from all executive forums over the Army Barracks. th Also present were the national addressing the 10 anniversary past month was enough proof that “We are going back organising secretary, Hon. Elias provincial rally, said the SADC troika the party was not a junior partner “Why do we need guns?” Senator meeting held in Maputo, Mozambique, in government. into government Mudzuri and his deputy Hon. Morgen Komichi said. “The MDC will never and attended by Mozambique President and during this period Komichi, party spokesperson, take up arms against the people who Armando Guebuza, Zambia President “If you want this inclusive government Hon. Nelson Chamisa and Women’s voted for them, and these are the Rupiah Banda, King Mswati III of to deliver hope to the people of we will see if Zanu PF Assembly chairperson, Hon. majority of Zimbabweans. We do not Swaziland, SADC chair and DRC Zimbabwe, then you must regard the is sincere.” Theresa Makone. need guns, we need the ballot,” he said, President Joseph Kabila and South MDC as an equal partner not as a junior amid applause. Africa President Jacob Zuma last partner,” President Tsvangirai told Addressing the rally in Chitungwiza Thursday to review the performance of cheering supporters in Chitungwiza, Hon. Biti said the MDC had come Speaking at the same rally, the Secretary the inclusive government, had been a a dormitory town 25 km southeast “We have remained resolute,” he said. a long way since its formation 10 for Labour, who is also the Minister major success. of Harare. “Zanu PF will never succeed in putting years ago. for Labour and Social Welfare, Hon. fear into the people and last year we Paurina Mpariwa said the inclusive “The MDC was formed to give people President Tsvangirai said all outstanding “We are not a junior partner when we went into an election and won that government had brought hope to the dignity and not to privatise the country issues should be agreed within 15 days have the mandate of the people. If Zanu election,” said the President, adding: people of Zimbabwe especially the like what Zanu PF has done,” Hon. and implemented within 30 days. Within PF thought that we were not serious, “We have come a long way, both as a youth who are now getting employed. Biti said. “Zanu PF does not show any 15 days, South Africa President Zuma they have experienced a lesson,” party and as prime minister, we will not remorse and that is the tragedy of that will check on progress and review. If in the President said amid thunderous be shaken.” party, of not accepting failure. “Now that we are in the inclusive another 15 days there is no conclusion, applause. “We are not a junior partner government, young people are going to the troika will intervene and assist. in the inclusive government as we have The decision by the MDC to suspend “This country should be led by the work as more companies are re-opening President Tsvangirai said he hoped and the mandate of the people. We did not disenagement last Thursday followed a and operating,” she said. get into government because of the people of Zimbabwe not from Zanu PF trusted that all parties were genuine crippling boycott of three consecutive headquarters,” said Hon. Biti. and that a satisfactory conclusion will generosity of Zanu PF.” cabinet and council of ministers’ She urged the women and the youth to be reached by 6 December, 2009, the meetings with Mugabe and his Zanu He said the MDC valued the system participate in the Constitution-making deadline set by SADC. He said the SADC Troika had concurred PF party. process to ensure that it reflects the will with the MDC and said the party was of clean government and not a corrupt national adminstration. of the people of Zimbabwe. “I want to assure you that in the next justified in disengaging as a number of Earlier, secretary general Hon. Tendai outstanding issues in the GPA and the 30 days all the outstanding issues Biti had said in a statement issued after “We want a 50-50 representation of 27 January SADC Communiqué. “This country has been ravaged by affecting the operations of the inclusive the SADC troika summit that the MDC corruption,” he said. “The MDC has women on all platforms of decision- government should be resolved,” believed that the process of resolving no tolerance to corruption. The local making. So we need to pen that President Tsvangirai said. “We have Under the two legally binding outstanding issues within 30 days councils that we run have to maintain a down in the new Constitution,” said tasked SADC to take over the crisis. agreements, Zanu PF is stalling the should be given a chance. zero tolerance to corruption.” Hon. Mpariwa. Bennett trial adjourned to Wednesday HARARE - MDC Senator and deputy Several cases of ammunition and rifles of evidence from the State’s star Hitschmann says he implicated from self-imposed exile to take up his Agriculture minister-designate Roy were brought into the High Court as witness, Mike Hitschmann, a registered Bennett in the alleged coup plot after post in the inclusive government, and Bennett had his terrorism trial at the evidence with the partisan Attorney arms dealer who was convicted of the he was viciously tortured by State was only released on bail in March. Harare High Court adjourned yesterday. General Johannes Tomana telling the security agents. court that the case was “a very serious illegal possession of weapons in 2007. Bennett was then re-arrested on the The malicious prosecution of Senator matter which must be treated with the same charges last month, only to be Bennett, who is accused of terrorism, seriousness it demands”. Bennett, who was in court with his wife “He (Hitschmann) has disowned released on bail. insurgency, sabotage and banditry Heather, is facing charges of plotting that statement and does not want in a case that is clearly politically Bennett, 52, who pleaded not guilty to kill President Robert Mugabe in to testify for the state,” one of Bennett’s malicious prosecution is motivated, will now take place through a previous hearing, is being 2006, and has been accused of being Bennett’s lawyers Trust Maanda said.