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Raymond Majongwe

Fidelis Munyoro Chief Reporter
Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Mr Raymond Majongwe says he will not pander to the MDC-T’s machinations for illegal regime change as President Mugabe was constitutionally elected into power.

Mr Majongwe said since he gets his salary from the teachers under President Mugabe’s Government who contribute to his union, it would be an insult to “gang up with MDC-T” against the President.

Mr Majongwe said the MDC-T did not want him and his union to recognise President Mugabe.

“It is not Ray Majongwe who should remove (President) Mugabe from power,” he said. “It is the MDC-T that is fighting President Mugabe, not me.

“They want me to gang up with them to remove President Mugabe. That I will not do. I am a trade unionist leading a teachers’ union under (President) Robert Mugabe’s Government.”

Mr Majongwe said it was absurd for the MDC-T to expect him to act like a non-governmental organisation.

“My salary comes from the teachers who are paid by President Mugabe’s Government,” said Mr Majongwe. “So, if people think I must fight President Mugabe, I am not in opposition with (President) Mugabe; it is the MDC which is opposing him.”

“When I say something, they say I am aligned to a certain political party, some label me a State agent. I am independent.”

Mr Majongwe said he stood by his utterances as quoted in some online publications that President Mugabe won the 2013 elections.

He said the MDC-T’s proportional representation member of Parliament, Dr Ruth Labode, confronted him last week accusing him of “smelling Zanu-PF” at a function where he was making a presentation on the landmark Supreme Court labour ruling that prompted widespread job losses.

At the weekend, Mr Majongwe told an online newspaper, NewZimbabwe.com, that MDC-T lost the 2013 watershed elections to Zanu-PF.

“I will still repeat that (President) Mugabe won (the) 2013 elections,” he said. “Tsvangirai is not at State House, so he lost. So, as far as I am concerned, why would I waste my time talking to losers, talking about losers?”

Mr Majongwe accused his critics of being stooges and losers.

“This is the nature of people who have no memory, who have no mental faculties of their own, people who are not self-motivated as individuals,” he said.

“I am self-motivated, I am not fighting in anyone’s corner and the most important thing, I will repeat and reiterate, I have no apology to make to anyone, this country is called Zimbabwe, it does not have title deeds.

“Robert Mugabe is President of this country and if there is anybody who thinks they are President, let me see him (sic).

“The MDC lost the 2013 elections; that is a fact. They slept; they are not serious; they are not a political party worth supporting as far as Majongwe is concerned, but that does not make me a Zanu-PF person.”

Mr Majongwe denied he was seeking relevance, adding: “I was not looking for space. I have space, hence you are talking to me, hence the media writes about me.

“I have relevance in this country. I am not a stranger to Zimbabwean politics. And if there is anybody who has a problem in me congratulating (President) Mugabe, let that person come to me.”