Friday, 15 July 2016
President Morgan Tsvangirai’s remarks to the press
We meet in the context of two developments that have shaken our country and greatly disturbed the spirits of the people of Zimbabwe.
The first is my health condition which I disclosed to the people on the 27th of June 2016. I want to say today that I am recovering well and once again, I want to thank everyone, especially the people of this country from across the political, religious and tribal divide, for standing by me. Indeed, we are all mortal beings and sometimes our bodies get shaken by the vagaries of nature but as you can see, God is always on our side and I am on the path to full recovery.
The second issue is the acute deterioration of the economic situation that is fast accelerating towards a full-fledged implosion. The nation is hurting and life is tough for everyone outside the parasitic elite that is feeding on the national trough. It is this elite that is fuelling the cancer of corruption and is oblivious to the dire situation facing the ordinary people in Pumula, Plumtree, Mufakose, Dotito and Chirundu. Oh yes, corruption, mis-governance and just plain cluelessness at the national level have become a more dangerous cancer, even more dangerous than cancer of the colon!
The MDC national executive and national council met for nine hours yesterday to discuss the worsening situation in the country and to chart a way forward that would create a better life for the people of Zimbabwe.
The party welcomes the emerging national consensus where other civic groups and ordinary citizens are now joining us on demonstrations and protests as a legitimate and constitutional avenue of public expression. We have a Congress resolution that as a party we shall embark upon on and support every group and sector that will go into the streets to legitimately express its concerns and petition this government to address its genuine grievances.
It is a matter of public record that on the 14th of April 2016, our structures in Harare embarked on a peaceful demonstration against this government, which was followed by similar successful protest marches in Bulawayo and Mutare. As I have said, we are happy that others have taken this route as a legitimate expression of national displeasure at how the country is being mismanaged.
It is in this context that I want to laud Pastor Evan Mawarire, the Tajamuka pressure group and the ordinary citizens of this country in Beitbridge and elsewhere who continue to send a loud message to this regime that the nation is now fed up. Our colleagues in the struggle need to be lauded and commended for their positive effort.
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