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him violence and confrontational politics.
In an interview with the BBC in South Africa last week wheree he attended an investment conference, PM Tsvangirai — who is
MDC-T leader — refuted assertions that since joining government, he became ‘‘compromised and no longer fights for the common man’’.
Mr Tsvangirai said he had broken from the politics of the past characterised by violence and confrontation.
“Was I ever a revolutionary?
“If you expect to see me running on the streets throwing stones you are not going to see that. I will not do that.
“I am not going to be seen engaging in confrontational politics. That phase is over for good. My friend every struggle has three phases. Phase one is the confrontation stage, in Zimbabwe we did that, Phase two is negotiation. We negotiated and produced the GPA. Phase three is the transition stage. We are now in a transition.
“We can’t go back to phase one and start confrontation again. So my friend don’t expect me to go back to politics of confrontation and start throwing stones.
“As to my suits and the cars I drive that goes with the position and the role I am playing in the transition,” PM Tsvangirai said.
He was responding to a BBC reporter who had asked him:
“Mr Tsvangirai, there is growing belief that the old Tsvangirai, the fighter for common man, the man who fearlessly confronted (President) Mugabe is now heavily compromised.
“You appear to be now part of the system against which you fought, that which you confronted.
“You now drive in luxury cars, surrounded by many bodyguards and hangers-on.
“You are now wearing the latest designer suits. You are no longer seen as a fighter. You are no longer the revolutionary that we knew.”
Observers said the BBC interview showed that the MDC-T’s western partners were becoming disenchanted with Mr Tsvangirai and were trying to turn him towards confrontational
politics. But the PM now sees himself as part of the establishment, different from the days when he used to say:
“What we would like to tell Mugabe today is that please go peacefully. If you don’t want to go peacefully, we will remove you violently.”
Mr Tsvangirai made the statement at Rufaro Stadium on September 30, 2000 at an MDC-T rally to mark the party’s first anniversary.
In the years that followed Mr Tsvangirai and his party called for numerous strikes and mass actions which often turned violent, leaving a trail of destruction and maimed people who included members of the security forces.
Mr Tsvangirai joined Government in 2009 when he was sworn in as Prime Minister following the signing of an inter-party political agreement that brought together Zanu-PF, MDC-T and the MDC in a coalition government.
Online Reporter