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Mutambara questions Mugabe's war legacy!
By Lebo Nkatazo
Last updated: 04/13/2007 01:30:35
ZIMBABWEAN opposition leader Arthur Mutambara has used his Independence Day message to urge President Robert Mugabe's opponents to embrace the country's war of liberation.
The country's Independence Day is on April 18.
Mutambara urged his opposition Movement for Democratic Change (IMDC) supporters to "reclaim the war legacy", the centre piece of President Mugabe's political rhetoric.
Mugabe accuses his political opponents of being puppets of the West, and Britain of seeking to recolonise Zimbabwe through financial and material support for the MDC whose leaders are scarce on liberation war credentials.
Mutambara said: "As we observe this great day in our national calendar, let us take this as an opportunity to reflect on the state of our nation and the challenges we face. It is important that as Zimbabweans we come together and find solutions that can build our country into a peaceful, democratic and prosperous nation.
"We must proffer redemptive political and economic solutions in order to improve the quality of life for all Zimbabweans on a sustained and sustainable basis. At twenty seven years of age our country could do with some innovative and robust state crafting."
He lashed out at Mugabe for monomoplising the liberation war stage, and urged Zimbabweans to challenge te 83-year-old leader whom he described as a "spineless coward who does not know how to return a soldier's salute".
"No single individual delivered us from bondage. It was a collective effort. Across the length and breath of this country and in neighbouring countries such as Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania, our sons and daughters came together, with a single purpose -- to free Zimbabwe. For the record; Yes, Robert Mugabe was part of the liberation war effort."
Mutambara also insisted that Zimbabweans held the solution to the eight-year economic recession sparked by an military adventure in the war torn Democratic Republic of Congo, the payment of gratuities to war veterans and a violent seizure of white commercial farmland.
Mutambara speech appeared time to support South African President Thabo Mbeki's mission to bring Mugabe to the negotiating table with his political opponents to agree on ground rules ahead of elections next year.
Mbeki got the mandate from leaders of SADC, the regional economic bloc following an extra-ordinary summit in Tanzania two weeks ago.
"When all is said and done, Zimbabwe 's future will be determined by
Zimbabweans," said Mutambara. "External players can assist and facilitate, but the buck stops with us.
Zimbabweans," said Mutambara. "External players can assist and facilitate, but the buck stops with us.
"We cannot outsource our emancipation to foreigners. We shall be our own
liberators. We shall be masters of our own destiny and complete the unfinished
business of the liberation struggle."
liberators. We shall be masters of our own destiny and complete the unfinished
business of the liberation struggle."
Mutambara also said all "democratic forces" must close ranks and field a
single presidential candidate next year. Mutambara was recently forced to deny that Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the other faction of the divided party, would be the MDC's sole candidate to challenge Mugabe in elections next year.
single presidential candidate next year. Mutambara was recently forced to deny that Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the other faction of the divided party, would be the MDC's sole candidate to challenge Mugabe in elections next year.
"A united front inspired by a single candidate principle is a categorical
imperative in every election," he said. "Every vote must count against Zanu PF. While this framework will energise the generality of our people, it will also have strategic national appeal to multitudes of progressive Zanu PF members and supporters."
imperative in every election," he said. "Every vote must count against Zanu PF. While this framework will energise the generality of our people, it will also have strategic national appeal to multitudes of progressive Zanu PF members and supporters."
Mutambara appeared to support a new theory advanced by Mugabe's former right hand man Jonathan Moyo, now an Independent MP. Writing on New Zimbabwe.com, Moyo said democratic forces in the country should join up to support a single candidate to be chosen.
Moyo warns that a winning strategy for the opposition should be formulated with the acceptance that Mugabe still has nationwide appeal.
He said: "More particularly, it should be understood that a United Front that does not have strategic national appeal to multitudes of Zanu PF members, supporters or sympathisers and neutrals out there will not get anywhere."
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