Tsvangirai not losing sleep over WikiLeaks

By Moses Matenga

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday said he was not losing sleep over statements attributed to three of his trusted lieutenants quoted on the whistleblower website WikiLeaks describing him as “weak and indecisive”.

Responding publicly for the first time to the leaked United States diplomatic cables that have caused furore in the country’s two biggest political parties, Zanu PF and MDC-T, Tsvangirai told journalists he had confidence in his “lieutenants” and would not run the country from rumour mills.

“Our party regards WikiLeaks with suspicion. We can’t follow rumours and we cannot run a country on gossip. We can’t,” Tsvangirai said.

“We are not doing anything about that and that’s where it ends. I enjoy the support of 12 provinces. That was confirmed at our Bulawayo congress and that is the yardstick of my support. I don’t go about asking people if they support me or not. I don’t see WikiLeaks as a true reflection of the situation in the party. I have confidence in my lieutenants.”

The cables alleged that MDC-T officials, including the party’s national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa and Deputy Minister of Justice Obert Gutu, said Tsvangirai was weak and indecisive. But Chamisa and Gutu have denied ever saying that.

Turning to the decision by Zanu PF to second Tsholotsho North MP Jonathan Moyo to Jomic, Tsvangirai warned Zanu PF it ran the risk of straining progress saying the former Information minister was “anti-progress and controversial”.

“If Zanu PF wants to bring in Moyo, that’s their choice, but in doing so they should consider whether they are helping or hindering progress by bringing people who are controversial and anti-progress,” said Tsvangirai. NewsDay