Tsvangirai drums up support for Raila bid

By Mwaniki Munuhe

NAIROBI; KENYA: Zimbabwe PM Morgan Tsvangirai was full of praise for his Kenyan counterpart and host Raila Odinga when he attended the ODM National Delegate’s Conference.

Tsvangirai told ODM delegates their choice of presidential candidate was the right man to wield the collective power they were giving him. Recalling the challenges Kenya and Zimbabwe have faced in past elections, he warned Kenyans against electing “individualistic leaders”.

“A leader without a vision is dangerous,” he warned. “The challenge we have as a new generation of African leaders is to distinguish between politics that focus on individual power and politics that focus on collective power.”

The Zimbabwean praised Raila as a focused leader who could be trusted with collective power, adding that they had much in common.

“We share a common history in the fight against racist colonialism,” he said. “But we say the fight against colonialism is not enough, freedom by itself is hopeless if it cannot be turned in economic prosperity.”

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He urged the Government to ensure peaceful elections, saying this was the only way a credible government can be chosen. “Let us avoid the violence that characterised polls in Zimbabwe and Kenya, violence does not make an election credible. We have both chosen constitutionalism over militarism, recognising there must be limitations on governmental power to ensure responsibility and accountability.”

Unity coalitions

Tsvangirai is in the country at the invitation of PM Raila Odinga who asked him to attend the ODM conference. Both Kenya and Zimbabwe are under a coalition government after elections in both countries turned chaotic resulting to a coalition government. But Tsvangirai criticised unity coalitions and urged Kenya to do everything possible to avoid a situation that leads to one.

“Let us avoid coalition governments that you started here in Kenya,” he said. “Coalition government leads to disjointed system of administration.” He praised Kenya over attainment of a new Constitution adding that his country is using the example of Kenya a case study in constitution making. “I must point out that that we have used the Kenyan experience as an example in our own constitution making, drawing many lessons both in respect of the process and content,” he said.

Leadership, he added, remains the key to better governance. “Our nations know dangers of political or military conflicts,” he said, “and the effective vaccine is a responsive leadership that regards the State as an enabler rather than a ruler.”