Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai thursday took a swipe at some military generals that he says are threatening to reverse the country’s transition to his Movement for Democratic Change Formation government if the incumbent, veteran President Robert Mugabe, loses the nation’s next polls, whose date is yet to be announced.
Mr Tsvangirai told reporters in Bulawayo at the end of a three-day tour of Matebeleland, that the views of the few generals, who have been quoted in the media saying they will not accept anyone other than Mr mugabe to lead the country, do not represent the majority.
He did not name the military bosses he blames for trying to derail the unity government. During his stay in Matebeleland, Mr tsvangirai officially launched the rural water and sanitation hygene program in Tsholotsho and commissioned the Lupane-Bubi dam.
Mr Tsvangirai spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka says the Prime Minister also addressed issues to do with the constitution.
Meanwhile, Mr Tsvangirai’s MDC formation is said to have dispatched the party organizing secretary, Nelson Chamisa, to address reports that members have been defecting in droves to the smaller MDC formation led by industry minister Welshman Ncube.
Two weeks ago, 84 members from the party’s deputy president Thokozani Khuphe's Makokoba constituency allegedly defected citing differences with Khupe. Chamisa told VOA that the defections are fictitious.
Commenting, London based political commentator Nkululeko Sibanda says for a party as big as the Tsvangirai MDC, it is significant that party heavyweights have been ropped in to deal with the defections.
Sibanda told VOA thay this is significant as Mr. Tsvangirai could believe that this is the beginning of a disturbing trend for his party.