Published by the government of Zimbabwe
31 December 2008
Harare — MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai's reluctance to respond to an invitation from President Mugabe to come for swearing in as Prime Minister has fuelled speculation that he makes decisions on instruction from his Western handlers.
Despite receiving his passport to facilitate his return ahead of the Christmas holiday, the MDC-T leader remains holed up in Botswana lending credence to the view that recent statements by US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer that Washington was "withdrawing support" for the envisaged inclusive Government may be behind his self-imposed exile.
Western countries, led by Britain and the United States, have been agitating for illegal regime change through military invasion.
This is despite the fact that, in the broad-based agreement, the two MDC formations recognised President Mugabe as Head of State and Government, and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
The written invitations to Mr Tsvangirai and Professor Arthur Mutambara followed the gazetting of Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Bill earlier this month, paving way for the creation of the posts of Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
On December 19, Cde Mugabe told delegates to the Zanu-PF Annual National People's Conference in Bindura that he had invited Mr Tsvangirai and Prof Mutambara to come for swearing-in.
On Monday MDC-T spokesperson Mr Nelson Chamisa claimed the invitation "was of no significance to the opposition party" and would not be acted upon.
Pressed to confirm whether his boss had indeed received the invitation, he said:
"The marrow of the letter is not about the sending or otherwise of the letter. It is in realisation that there has to be a legal framework upon which the Government has to be formed. Constitutional Amendment Number 19 has to be passed into law because it is the basis upon which a Government has to be formed."
Mr Chamisa added that MDC-T would not become part of any inclusive Government, insisting that the opposition party wanted "outstanding issues" resolved.
These, he said, included the allocation of key ministries even though that matter was finalised at an Extraordinary Sadc Summit in South Africa earlier in the year.
Observers also noted that it was strange that MDC-T was speaking of the allocation of ministries and yet they had given the green light to Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Number 19 Bill that will give legal effect to the September 15 Agreement.
Interestingly, The Herald has it on good authority that about two months ago, Mr Tsvangirai was invited to take up his post as Prime Minister as agreed by the parties but refused to do so after "advice and consultations".
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I have yet to meet a stupid person. Only ideas can be described by that term.
Well I guess this means there are a lot of people on this site, shallowhead, takunya, ak47 that have a LOT of very very stupid ideas then.
I must be getting soft in the head. I've been reading Herald articles. That's like reading Pravda to get accurate world news. That "western handlers" comment is right out of the Pyongyang propaganda handbook.
Anyway, may I wish Zimbabwe a Happy New Year with the hope the three plagues that ravage the country are eliminated; AIDS, Cholera and Robert Mugabe.
Tsvangirai has never been himself. He has always been used even from the early stages of MDC. You remember the guy receiving cheques from white farmers grinning. That picture cant come off my head.
Its a shame that Mugabe is facing challenge from someone who is not a true Zimbabwean patriot.Someone he can toss around within legal frame work.Its a pity Zimbabwean civilians keep suffering partly because of this puppet which keeps flip flopping.He gains ground from suffering Zimbabweans under sanctions he gave birth to. We have suffered enough Tsvangirai 's presence has failed to bring relevance to ordinary Zimbabweans.
lindie, so the beatings and incarceration's he as indured over the years, the risk of life he has taken, do not make him a true Zim?? You would have to be kidding, if the situation was reversed mugabe would have run like a coward!
Better a none true Zimabwean surrounded by a group of experts and normal people than a true ageing Zimbabwean surrounded by a team of medical doctors and a bunch of insane looters to feed their selfish interests. Without the support of Police and Armed forces Mugabe cannot weather the challenges to Tsvangirai's level, he could be in Malaysian by now.
lindie a puppet ndiwe - you are a puppet because you were turned into hate machine by the propaganda of Zanu PF. You are just a dummy or a zombie, what you should know Tsvangirayi commands the support of the majority of Zimbabweans and he will free you from the bondage of Zanu PF propaganda. You will be the first to acknowledge your freedom. Musataure zvamusingazive, just because he opposes Mugabe it does not mean he is a puppet of the West. History tells us that everyone who has opposed Mugabe has been branded a puppet of the west and… [Read Full Text]
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Was giving Morgan a Passport bribery for him accept being sworn in by Mugabe? This article is childish it can only make sense to stupid people.