|
Back to Index
This article participates on the following special index pages:
Talks, dialogue, negotiations and GNU - Post June 2008 "elections" - Index of articles
Thousands
take to the streets in Masvingo
Owen
Chikari, Zimbabwe Times
September 12, 2008
http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=3988
Thousands of
MDC supporters marched through the streets of Zimbabwe's oldest
city, Masvingo, on Friday while singing and chanting in support
of the deal which was reached Thursday by Zimbabwe's three main
political parties.
Supporters of
the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirayi camp moved in vehicles from Mucheke
high density suburb into the city centre waving placards and applauding
their party leader for entering into the deal.
The march, which
was not sanctioned by the police, surprisingly went ahead without
any disturbances. Policemen watched from the pavements but did not
interrupt the march.
Some of the
newly elected MDC MPs joined in the march bringing business district
to standstill in Masvingo.
"We are
happy that Tsvangirayi has been recognised and that is all we wanted
because he won the election on March 29 ", said one of the
marchers.
The celebrations
started around midnight as news filtered in that the MDC leader
had signed the deal after some of his demands were considered.
Tsvangirayi
had told his supporters that he will not sign any power-sharing
deal with the ruling party unless he was given some executive powers.
The deal which
is set to end Zimbabwe's economic, political and social problems
was reached on Thursday in Harare and will be officially signed
on Monday.
Loice Zvandaziva,
a school teacher on strike, yesterday said that following the deal
she would now go back to work.
"I now
can go back to work because it had become meaningless for me to
go to work ", said Zvandaziva.
Zimbabwean teachers
have been on strike since the beginning of the third term on September
2 and had vowed not to return back to their schools complaining
that their salaries were too low.
The marchers
clad in MDC-T regalia later went to the Masvingo civic centre where
the Mayor of Masvingo alderman Femias Chakabuda addressed them.
Although details
of the power-sharing deal were still very sketchy yesterday it is
believed that Tsvangirai will be Prime Minister chairing a council
of ministers while Mugabe will remain President and will chair cabinet.
Ordinary Zimbabweans
yesterday applauded the deal saying it will end several years of
suffering.
"At least
we can now focus on the development of the country because we were
sick and tired of failed policies of Mugabe and his ruling Zanu-PF
party", said Jairos Moyo of Mucheke.
While it was
celebration time within the MDC, Zanu-PF supporters, especially
those claiming to be war veterans said they were very cross with
the deal.
They accused
Mugabe of selling out.
War veterans
had, during the negotiation process, sent a petition to Mugabe advising
him not to relinquish his executive powers.
"We are
not happy with this deal because Mugabe never consulted us as war
veterans", said s so-called war veteran who requested anonymity.
"Our leader
has sold out and this is the end of the story but we are going to
make it open to him that he has sold out".
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
