(Last Updated on December 14, 2012 by CORRESPONDENT)
Zimbabwe-MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has appealed to party supporters to remain focused on winning next year’s harmonised elections and ignore what he termed “conspiracy and self-centred theories” being peddled by members of his inner circle over selection of candidates.
The Prime Minister, who is on a whirlwind tour of provinces to ready structures for elections expected next year, first made the remarks in Masvingo on Monday.
He repeated them in Mutare yesterday where he dismissed claims that he wanted to impose certain favoured candidates as “heresy”.
“We do not deal with conspiracies in the party. All the conspiracies mushrooming in the party border on heresy,” Tsvangirai said.
“I have never asked anybody to baby sit me. There are people who are good at conspiracies and self-centered theories. That is not the thrust of the party.
“We are a united party and, therefore, let us celebrate our victories and successes. We must learn to appreciate and tolerate each other in the party. We are tired of cry babies who focus on problems without coming up with solutions. You must learn to craft tangible programmes on the ground.”
Tsvangirai said party members should stop bickering and fighting over positions and work hard to gain control of constituencies the party lost in the March 2008 harmonised polls.
“We have to win maximum votes in the next election,” he said. “Do not give me problems because I want programmes. The provincial leadership has to come up with programmes that change problems into opportunities.
“We know there is a lot of noise regarding parliamentary and local government candidates, but my message is very explicit.
“We need competent people who are ready to deliver and we do not tolerate individuals who believe they are larger than the party. We have to be very careful on candidate selection. We will use a meticulous verification process which enables people with the right credentials to represent the party.
“We have to maintain our brand of excellence, therefore, we cannot compromise party principles for the sake of protecting individual interests.” MDC-T’s Manicaland provincial spokesperson Pishayi Muchauraya said Tsvangirai read the riot act against “rubble rousers” in the party.
“Tsvangirai urged party members to be united and be geared for election victory in the next harmonised elections,” he said. “The election directorate is working on the guidelines on candidate selection. As a party, we are governed by our constitution on candidate selection and we are going to follow what is stipulated.”
The MDC-T leader was accompanied by several top officials including organising secretary Nelson Chamisa, deputy treasurer Elton Mangoma, national executive member Giles Mutsekwa and secretary-general Tendai Biti, among others. Addressing MDC-T members after the closed-door meeting, Biti equated the forthcoming elections to the 1980 watershed polls.
“We are already in an election mode. Therefore, let us focus on statutory matters because this election is very close to the 1980 general election regarding policy matters in the country,” he said.
“Let us focus on grey areas in the province. This is a do-or-die election and we have to post President Tsvangirai to State House.” – Newsday