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Mr Tsvangirai

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
EMBATTLED MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday met some diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe as he tries to re-assert control over the party in the wake of growing calls for his resignation.
Mr Tsvangirai met separately with diplomats from Africa and some Western countries.
Sources at Harvest House said the meetings were part of the MDC-T leader’s fight-back plan to re-assert his control over the party.
“He has been under attack from various senior people in the party and these meetings were part of efforts to show the outside world that he still remains in control despite all that has been said.

“He is trying to fight back his colleagues who have seriously dented his leadership credentials,” the source said. “The source added that Mr Tsvangirai had stressed that he remains party leader until the congress to be held in 2016. Mr Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka yesterday confirmed the meetings. “The issues of democracy in the MDC are evidenced by the robust debate currently going on in the party, the (Elton) Mangoma issue for example. He told them that there was nothing sacred in the MDC-T and everything can be discussed openly,” he said. He also said Mr Tsvangirai had briefed the diplomats on the challenges bedevilling the country and reiterated that the MDC-T was the only alternative to solve the problems.

“The president (Mr Tsvangirai) spoke about the national crises facing the people of Zimbabwe which have showcased the crises of leadership in Zimbabwe. He also went further to explain the plans which he read during his state of the nation address,” Mr Tamborinyoka said.

Mr Mangoma recently advised Mr Tsvangirai to step down from the MDC-T presidency. A number of other senior MDC-T officials, among them Roy Bennett, Ian Kay, Elias Mudzuri and commercial farmer Ben Freeth, have also called on Mr Tsvangirai to step down.