Gweru, Zimbabwe- It is a hot Saturday afternoon. The sky is partly cloudy and a warm breeze sweeps through Mkoba stadium in Zimbabwe's third largest city, Gweru. A large crowd of about 13, 000 people brace the unfriendly weather to attend a political campaign rally. Music blares from a sound system at the center of the stadium. An old lady in her 70s dances in the crowd. She draws laughter from the assorted gathering of youths, the middle aged and the old. An infant giggles from her mother's back. All these faces are anxiously waiting for their guest and presidential hopeful, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader, Morgan Tsvangirai. As the MDC leader arrives, there is deafening noise in the stadium. Tsvangirai takes to the stage to address his supporters.
He does not mince his words: " We are all gathered here because of poverty. The main cause of that poverty is one man and he is Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
"Over the years we have been saying things are tough but now they are really tough. We have come to a time when we are saying enough is enough. Now is the time to change and we are going to do it through the ballot box on March 29." Zimbabweans go to harmonised polls to elect the country's President, House of Assembly members, senators and councillors on March 29 this year.
"In 2000, 2002 and 2005 Mugabe stole the elections from the people. We let him rule then. Now that time is over. When he (Mugabe) rigs the election, he does not rig it from Tsvangirai. He rigs against the people of Zimbabwe. And they have every right to defend their choice.
"We should make it clear from the onset that Zimbabwe does not need rulers but leaders. This country cannot be Mugabe Private Limited. We need a government that is accountable to the people. We need a return to the rule of law and not rule by law," said Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai dismissed Mugabe's claims that the opposition leader intends to return acquired land back to the white minority farmers. He said MDC had at its inception in 1999 a land reform programme in place.
"When we formed MDC in 1999, land reform was on our list of priorities. We have said that prime agricultural land should be fully utilised and this can only be done in a well planned manner.
"Look at what Mugabe did to productive land. He grabbed it (land) and resettled people without the necessary implements to farm. Now we see grass, the size to my shoulders growing on arable land.
"Don't be fooled by Mugabe that I want to return land to the whites. Do I look white myself (drawing laughter from the crowd).
"All this is misjudgment of a person getting old. Zimbabwe used to be the food bread basket of Africa. Now we import maize even from Malawi. Can you imagine that?"
The MDC presidential candidate said there was a time when Zimbabwe "struggled against colonialism." He said that time is "now over" and that Zimbabweans "now a struggle against black dictatorship."
Tsvangirai said MDC envisages national institutions, particularly armed forces that have "respect" and respect "for the people."
"If MDC gets into power it will inherit these institutions. But they (army, police and state security agents) must respect the people. They must not traumatise and brutalise them."
The MDC leader promised the gathering, resuscitation of the economy which has been on the down turn, for close to a decade now. He said MDC has " friends" that are ready to help in the recovery of the economy.
" Our economy is now a national disaster. As MDC we have friends that are prepared to help. We have investors ready to chip in once the political situation is stable. This Mugabe business of blaming Bush (George), Blair (Tony) and Brown (Gordon) does not bring anything. What does he (Mugabe) offer himself."
Tsvangirai also promised a revamp of the health sector, which has witnessed health institutions operating without essential drugs, staff and equipment for a long time now. He promised free education at primary level. On housing, the MDC leader said there should be “adequate housing for all those who need it.” “Democracy starts with a roof on your head,” were the words of Tsvangirai.
