The Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai is on Saturday expected to wrap up with congress with no surprises as its leaders are set to retain their positions.
MDC-T president, Morgan Tsvangirai, and his deputy, Thokozani Khuphe, and party chairman Lovemore Moyo are all unopposed.
The party is convinced that this is its last congress as an opposition party.
In his address at the congress, Tsvangirai said, “I see a new Zimbabwe; a new country with the possibility of reconciliation of all peoples, a nation working together to resolve its confidence crisis.
“A Zimbabwe with a new ethos, where people live in peaceful co-existence regardless of their cultural, ethnic, racial, religious or political differences. Given our traumatic past, we must learn to tolerate each other and draw a line in the sand to say never again should we slaughter or persecute each other for being different.”
The former prime minister added that “we must remain an inclusive, united society that is ready to swim or sink together, where diversity is celebrated rather than punished because it is the celebration of difference that will make our democracy hold. In the new Zimbabwe, there will be no compromise on the dignity of the citizen, which thankfully, is now enshrined in our Constitution. All citizens must enjoy the true meaning of life by being treated equally by government and all state institutions.”
He said under an MDC government, there will be a strong and formidable nation rising from the ashes of both the colonial and the Zanu PF misrule. “I see the realization of our national dream; indeed the advent of a new nation that will be a source of pride for posterity in a peaceful land characterized by happiness and abundance.”
The former prime minister further noted that resuscitation of industry is a must. “We are number two country in the world with the largest deposits of platinum. We have vast gold reserves that are largely untapped. Diamonds and plenty other minerals are everywhere in this country.”
He said with good governance, Zimbabwe can unleash an economy that will put the majority of people back to work. “The jobs that are needed are nothing compared to the resources that God blessed us with. We can create one of the greatest economies in Africa. If Botswana did it with their diamonds alone, why can't we do it with all these minerals? That’s what this President does not seem to understand.”
He also said Zimbabwe deserves a working economy “where everyone who wants a job can find one. A working economy where every parent will be able to afford to send kids to schools and colleges of their choice and that child will be guaranteed to a good job after graduation.”