Ncube claims Tsvangirai is scared of him

By Pindai Dube

Welshman Ncube, the president of the smaller faction of the MDC said Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai now spends most of his time campaigning in Matabeleland because he is scared of losing against him.

Addressing a paltry crowd of 400 supporters at Magwegwe Hall in Bulawayo on Sunday, Ncube said his party is now very strong especially in Matabeleland and Tsvangirai is in a panic mood because of that.

“Last time they were saying we don’t have supporters but now they are in a panic mood running around in Matabeleland following us. Tsvangirai now stays in Matabeleland campaigning. Recently we had rallies in Nkayi, Lupane, Tsholotsho and Binga but there are following us holding rallies at the same venues, because they are scared,” said Ncube.

Tsvangirai has been touring government projects in Matabeleland for the past two weeks and has also been holding rallies. Last week he held two rallies in Nkayi district. The Premier also held a rally at Pashu Business Centre in Binga last week while the scheduled Lupane rally was disrupted by police on Saturday.

After the disruption of his rallies in Matabeleland, Tsvangirai said he will confront President Robert Mugabe this week over the partisan manner in which police have been stopping his government business and rallies. On Sunday, Tsvangirai was expected to hold a rally in Victoria Falls but police cordoned off Chinotimba Stadium as early as 6am on Sunday morning to block the rally.

Ncube meanwhile says he wants to hold a rally in every district of Zimbabwe before elections expected next year. This is despite attendance figures showing him to be chasing a ‘political ghost’. An average rally by Tsvangirai is usually attended by over 10 000 people while Ncube struggles to reach 100 people, most of whom are bussed party activists.

A frustrated Ncube also attacked the Daily News newspaper saying the newspaper is now only covering the MDC leaving other parties.

“The Daily News is now an MDC mouthpiece, from Monday to Monday they only write about MDC but they call themselves leading independent daily in Zimbabwe. You should change your name to Harvest House Daily News newspaper,”  he said.

Despite Ncube’s fighting talk, his small faction has been decimated by mass defections, losing three MP’s and dozens of councillors who all flocked to join Tsvangirai’s larger faction. In the 2008 parliamentary election Ncube lost the Makokoba constituency to MDC-T Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe. Daily News with additional reporting from Nehanda Radio.com