By JEFFREY MUVUNDUSI
BULAWAYO – MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday rallied his supporters to make sacrifices for the party, saying liberation from oppressors is painful and sometimes involves people losing their lives.
Speaking in Bulawayo yesterday during a meeting to present an election template to provinces ahead of the party’s congress, Tsvangirai assured his supporters that his relentless struggle for change in the country would continue until victory.
The former premier offered fresh hope to his supporters, assuring them that the struggle was far from over and also urged them not to give up.
“The people who know the history of a liberation struggle will tell you that people die, people suffer in many ways and this is what we are currently going through,” he said adding that “victory was certain”.
Tsvangirai said it is the people not him who own the struggle and reminded the party structures he was addressing that the MDC was formed by the people after years of maladministration by the Zanu PF government.
“I have heard a lot of stories about personalising the party but what I will tell you is don’t support me, support the struggle of the people because it’s their project.
“You should have a commitment to support your own struggle. This struggle is not about removing an individual but the liberation of masses from years of suffering,” Tsvangirai told the gathering that was also attended by provincial representatives from Matabeleland North and South.
Tsvangirai’s remarks came as MDC rebels calling themselves renewal team led by Tendai Biti have been riding on the claims that one of the reasons they abandoned the mainstream movement was that it had been personalised by the former prime minister.
Tsvangirai said while the party was busy preparing for the congress due in October, they were already focusing on a vigorous rebuilding exercise meant to “end decades of President Robert Mugabe’s rule.
Downplaying, the perceived party’s weakness as a result of internal frictions, the opposition leader said the organisation was not formed from the boardroom but from participation of the grassroots hence its “unshakable” strength.
He acknowledged the unfavourable manner in which primary elections were held in his party last year but attributed the chaos to Biti and company whom he said already had a hidden agenda which manifested soon after elections.
“During our primary elections things did not go down well but those who continue talking about it are misguided. We should not repeat the same mistake,” Tsvangirai said.
“You should not stop people who want to leave, you hear people say since so and so is gone what are we going to do without him — let him go,” charged Tsvangirai in direct reference to the renewal team leaders.
Some of the senior party members who attended the event are Morgan Komichi, Nelson Chamisa, Tapiwa Mashakada, Lovemore Moyo and party Vice President Thokozani Khupe.
Tsvangirai who admitted that the party was currently not financially sound to manage some of crucial administrative programmes, urged his supporters to financially support the party.
“For long this organisation has been financed by the donors, those people who supported our struggle but now that they left us, it’s time for you to support your own struggle,” he said. Daily News
