One of the stalwarts in the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) led by Morgan Tsvangirai, Jameson Timba (JT), who served as deputy inform...
One of the stalwarts in the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) led by Morgan Tsvangirai, Jameson Timba (JT), who served as deputy information minister and then minister in the office of the Prime Minister during the inclusive government of 2009 – 2013, has been quiet in the past year.
The Financial Gazette News Editor, Maggie Mzumara (MM) sought him out last week to get his take on the split politics in the MDC-T; Tsvangirai’s popularity; the ruling ZANU-PF and its Zim-Asset economic blueprint and his challenge of the national assembly election results in his constituency, below are excerpts from that interview.
MM: You have been awfully quiet. Where are you in all of this that has been going on in your party – the split, the formation of the (MDC) Renewal Team etc?
JT: My political choices and actions are dictated by the demands and aspirations of the majority of the Zimbabwean people.
MM: Speaking of the majority of the people, do you believe Morgan Tsvangirai still has something to offer the people?
JT: The people of Zimbabwe still have faith in his leadership.
MM: And yourself, do you?
JT: Let me repeat myself: based on what I said, if the people of Zimbabwe have faith in him, where would I be? Remember I said my political actions and choices are derived from the people.
MM: So you are not with the Renewal Team?
JT: It is not important where people are. As Zimbabweans we are focusing on the wrong things. The country is in crisis. Our focus should not be on individuals, but on the country. All well meaning national leaders should be focusing their time on resolving the country’s challenges. There is the crisis of legitimacy emanating from the stolen election of 2013; the economy is in free fall. I don’t think this is the time for people to be fighting each other.
MM: Yes, but where do you stand where the renewal guys are concerned? These were your friends, isn’t it?
JT: I am a secretary for international relations in the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai.
MM: Alright, now with congress coming up in your party, any position you are vying for?
JT: My politics has never been about positions. My politics for the past 25 years has always been cause based. In 1989 I worked with Edgar Tekere to stop ZANU-PF from legislating a one party state. From 1999 to the present, I have worked with the MDC and Morgan Tsvangirai to achieve democratic change and economic prosperity for the people of Zimbabwe.
MM: How successful has that been?
JT: We continue to work on that… And in the party I will continue to serve the movement in any capacity.
MM: So if your politics is cause-based, what have you got to say for the Renewal Team’s cause? Is it not the same as yours?
JT: I do believe people want Morgan Tsvangirai. There is nothing that tells me that people have lost faith in him.
MM: You talk about the need for well meaning national leaders to focus on resolving the country’s challenges; what are you as a party doing to resolve the problems the masses are going through? I don’t see you offering any alternative.
JT: We are going to congress in October and one of the things we will do is to review our policy programme. To a very large extent our ‘Agenda for Real Transformation’, which is our party’s blueprint, which we produced last year, remains relevant. It is a more realistic policy alternative to Zim-Asset.
MM: What do you have against Zim-Asset?
JT: I do not believe that Zim-Asset will help the country. It is a statement of intent which just hangs in the air. It is unfundable and unimplementable.
MM: And your own blueprint, what good is it if it just stays on paper?
JT: It is still relevant one year after the elections.
MM: And that helps how?
JT: We will continue to articulate it on various fora, whether in Parliament or outside the country.
MM: On another note, how is your court case where you are challenging the outcome of the Member of Parliament polls for Mt. Pleasant constituency in which you contested?
JT: We are appealing. Through Justice Bhunu my petition was dismissed and I am appealing against that decision.
MM: You believe you ought to have won that constituency?
JT: Yes, I should have won. The election in Mt. Pleasant was not an election at al. More than 7 500 people from elsewhere were bussed in to vote in that constituency. I will not rest until justice is done. Financial Gazette
The Financial Gazette News Editor, Maggie Mzumara (MM) sought him out last week to get his take on the split politics in the MDC-T; Tsvangirai’s popularity; the ruling ZANU-PF and its Zim-Asset economic blueprint and his challenge of the national assembly election results in his constituency, below are excerpts from that interview.
MM: You have been awfully quiet. Where are you in all of this that has been going on in your party – the split, the formation of the (MDC) Renewal Team etc?
JT: My political choices and actions are dictated by the demands and aspirations of the majority of the Zimbabwean people.
MM: Speaking of the majority of the people, do you believe Morgan Tsvangirai still has something to offer the people?
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| Jameson Timba |
MM: And yourself, do you?
JT: Let me repeat myself: based on what I said, if the people of Zimbabwe have faith in him, where would I be? Remember I said my political actions and choices are derived from the people.
MM: So you are not with the Renewal Team?
JT: It is not important where people are. As Zimbabweans we are focusing on the wrong things. The country is in crisis. Our focus should not be on individuals, but on the country. All well meaning national leaders should be focusing their time on resolving the country’s challenges. There is the crisis of legitimacy emanating from the stolen election of 2013; the economy is in free fall. I don’t think this is the time for people to be fighting each other.
MM: Yes, but where do you stand where the renewal guys are concerned? These were your friends, isn’t it?
JT: I am a secretary for international relations in the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai.
MM: Alright, now with congress coming up in your party, any position you are vying for?
JT: My politics has never been about positions. My politics for the past 25 years has always been cause based. In 1989 I worked with Edgar Tekere to stop ZANU-PF from legislating a one party state. From 1999 to the present, I have worked with the MDC and Morgan Tsvangirai to achieve democratic change and economic prosperity for the people of Zimbabwe.
MM: How successful has that been?
JT: We continue to work on that… And in the party I will continue to serve the movement in any capacity.
MM: So if your politics is cause-based, what have you got to say for the Renewal Team’s cause? Is it not the same as yours?
JT: I do believe people want Morgan Tsvangirai. There is nothing that tells me that people have lost faith in him.
MM: You talk about the need for well meaning national leaders to focus on resolving the country’s challenges; what are you as a party doing to resolve the problems the masses are going through? I don’t see you offering any alternative.
JT: We are going to congress in October and one of the things we will do is to review our policy programme. To a very large extent our ‘Agenda for Real Transformation’, which is our party’s blueprint, which we produced last year, remains relevant. It is a more realistic policy alternative to Zim-Asset.
MM: What do you have against Zim-Asset?
JT: I do not believe that Zim-Asset will help the country. It is a statement of intent which just hangs in the air. It is unfundable and unimplementable.
MM: And your own blueprint, what good is it if it just stays on paper?
JT: It is still relevant one year after the elections.
MM: And that helps how?
JT: We will continue to articulate it on various fora, whether in Parliament or outside the country.
MM: On another note, how is your court case where you are challenging the outcome of the Member of Parliament polls for Mt. Pleasant constituency in which you contested?
JT: We are appealing. Through Justice Bhunu my petition was dismissed and I am appealing against that decision.
MM: You believe you ought to have won that constituency?
JT: Yes, I should have won. The election in Mt. Pleasant was not an election at al. More than 7 500 people from elsewhere were bussed in to vote in that constituency. I will not rest until justice is done. Financial Gazette
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