Zimbabwean generals known as hard-line supporters of President Robert Mugabe saluted former opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai Tuesday, a gesture welcomed as a public boost for the country’s struggling coalition government.
During presidential campaigning last year, generals vowed never to salute Tsvangirai, saying their loyalty was to Mugabe.
But they showed Tsvangirai that mark of respect as he attended his first Armed Forces Day ceremony as prime minister.
Mugabe, who spoke at the ceremony, formed a unity government with Tsvangirai in February. Tsvangirai has complained that the coalition has been slow to enact promised political reforms and that his supporters are still subject to harassment, arrest and beatings.
But Tsvangirai also has said he is committed to the awkward arrangement.
On Tuesday, the service chiefs led by army commander Lt. Gen. Philip Sibanda and Air Force Commander Perence Shiri each greeted Tsvangirai, seated in the front row of the VIP tent next to retired army Gen. Solomon Mujuru.
The military chiefs shook hands with Tsvangirai and then saluted him.
Late last month, Tsvangirai met with generals at the first of what are to be monthly national security consultations.
That meeting “broke the ice and now they are working together as they now recognise him,” Tsvangirai’s spokesman James Maridadi said later on Tuesday.
“This is why you saw some of the service chiefs saluting today. I hope this marks the beginning of a good working relationship.”
Tsvangirai, a former trade union leader, beat Mugabe in the first round of presidential voting last year. Tsvangirai then pulled out of a run-off against Mugabe because of violence against opposition supporters blamed on both police and soldiers.
Under heavy international pressure, Tsvangirai and Mugabe entered a coalition in February, agreeing to work together to address their country’s economic and political crises.
Most of the country’s generals are veterans of Zimbabwe’s independence war, which the 57-year-old Tsvangirai is too young to have fought. Mugabe, who is 85, has been in power since independence in 1980.
At Tuesday’s ceremony honouring the defence forces, Mugabe rejected accusations that soldiers had committed abuses.
AP
I am tired of mugabe and his people trickling compliance with the GPA expectations each time just before a SA or SADC meeting just to pre-empt the problems. they should continue not to salute . Saluting today more than six months after the GNu is an indication of their lack of partiallity.This is a big grievance. These generals are guilty of treason and should be replaced..No country has partisan generals.
Point of correction. Tsvangirai is not too young to have fought the liberation war, in fact most if not all of these so called Zanu pf guard generals are younger or same age as Tsvangirai. Chihuri, the oldest of them is probably the same age as or a few months younger than Tsvangirai.
the tide is turning,hokoyo!
NONSENSE. Absolute nonsense. I am 42 and I particpated in the liberation struggle and mys sister is 49 and she fought in the war. What the hell is this nonsense that Chematama at 57 is too young to have fought in 1978?
Absolute bullocks! Ndosaka muchidhashurwa madzakutsaku.
pedzisai.How did you participate in the liberation struggle.You were just a child when the bush war ended. You were only 12 at the end of the war.
Bofu ranhonga roro. A salute means zero! MDC values empty gestures. That is why Tsvangson is a PM with no power…because MDC likes titles.
We all know who the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces is…dont we now i diots?
Salute or no salute, His Honourable richard tswangirai is the boss. the Hague is in the horizon for those who salute or do not salute, do not say you were not warned. These guys can only avois the Hague by default of dying before arrest.
Muchama,ma chete vanhu veZanu, makazorana gwirikwiti, mhe,che dzana mai venyu.
What would have done at the age 42 in the war you here way too young to take part even mujibas where at the age of 19 20 and above unless you here with Ian Smith see we have people who clam to have been in zanla or zipra but if you trace back you ill find he was kumusha taking care fathers cows and bulls hondo was not some thing to play with i was 22 in 1975 together with the help of our late hero Armstrong Gunda we went to and it was a long journey and we had a hard time i will write a full story on what took place and how we left and for what reason we left as long as the metro allows me too do so and vana young must learn to tell the truth when i left i thought all was well but the life i live i will tell you detail after detail those who say its taboo to write what took place in those days lie we must tell how we operated and fought how we lost loved ones how we went on day by day i know even P shiri he knows my chimurenga name for i once was with for three weeks my name is ye hondo pisai mabhunu Ernest Camugremu you cant touch me for i live over seas i wont tell you where but you will hear what i will tell them and you will remember the days Mr Shiri
Smithy, get your facts right. I am 40 and participated in the war too. Most of my age (in the rural areas) went to Mozambique and at one point was contemplating it too.
So Pedzisayi is not wrong at all.
Most of Tsvangson’s age were in Moza. In fact Tsvangson did go but came back.
if you were born before 1980, you participarted in the war one way or the other. As a sperm you provided enjoyment & pleasure for the adults.
Tintin. You must have been a heard boy at the end of the war.What did you participate in.You say you were contemplating it but you don’t say you actually did anything.If you are 40 now then you would have been 10 or 11 when the war was already over.Maybe you were one of those who was wearing the red or blue shirt running around kicking a ball.You did nothing in the war.You are one of those people we call all talk and no action.
If you are 42 today you must have been born in 1966 my brother as only a toddler that time he is 42 today but he could not have made it to war that time if you went to war that time you where about 19 20 21 and above vanu who like to lie about the war its not good guys we suffered in that war that even Mugabe and his marry men cant tell you how much we went through it was worse than the word ruff or even tuff you would cry but no one would hear you until you where now a man or women ask even Teuri ropa Ngongo she will cry with you to tell you ho hard it was i am going to tell you the story of my life when i was a man wanted by Ian Smith and how i ran and they could not catch me we where only buys but became men. Watch for the story when the editors says yes.
like Walter Muzembe says he took part in the war he was born in the early 1963 or 1964 or 1965 but he was still a toddler then so most of you guys in the 1960s dont lie to the nation please if you where born in 1960 1961 1962 yes you where may be a mujiba or you where there but still to young but only 1960 and 1961 yes i would believe
DFE could you please assist this chap calling himself Maria to edit his comments. They are pretty painfull to read as there is no full stop whatsoever and the comments intertwine as if they are being made by someone who just survived a horrific aircrash.
Dear Abhero.
It is not in my gift to alter or amend a comment. I feel that Maria (Girls Name)is passionate about Zim and this shows. Tolerance is also a form of respect to another persons views and personality.
Kind Regards DFE
Too bad abhero you must be one of them that dont like the truth too bad one day we will be putting people away in to JAIL watch the you will worry about full stops and what ever fool
I did particiapte in the war. I was sent many times to do reconaisance work and to spie on Ian Smith’s soldiers as an innocent little boy. I provided important information that got 12 soldiers blown up by a landmine before survivors were finished off by our gallant comrades.
pedzi you are a liar, anywhere we do not care whether these general salute Tsvangirai after 6 months of the GPA. We want bread and butter issues taken care of. These generals can go to hell for all we care. Zimbabwe does not belong to them even mugabe.
Its so sad to find people like to talk of the war it was very sad on both sides even when we came back we met with our enemies and some of us talked by that time we had ana mujiba in and wearing uniform for some of us where afraid that the whites where going to kill us in the Assembly points so that’s why you have allot of these so called love stories of the war war is not a nice thing but its sad for the things dont leave you they follow you till your death you can ask CDE Manda in Harare over here i go to hospital for a week some times for i can not sleep at home and here you have a young man telling you so called stories of zimbabwe war hama vaka hada dont lie it only will come out one day when we tell zimbabwe what took place on those dark days history yana Mugabe my friend its only to protect some but the real are with darkness sadness for they dont have nothing today i am in exile again this time for telling the truth i will one day come home and sit at the Z B C when we can tell the truth this time for real of how we suffered not vana Chiwenga and Chihuri and Sibanda but true CDEs sitting and crying our hearts out on this beautiful ZIMBABWE we fought for and got nothing and only a few ass licking people got but the most lost and told stories forward na Morgan T if only he can put one and one to make two and if you have vision Morgan T dont listen one bit to Mugabe he is full of stories he told us many via our so called generals today but we are suffering the true HERO and you of 42 want to tell me wwhat took place when you could not even wash your own balls hahahahahahahah hama
the blood of those that suffered will trouble you and your family leave sleeping dogs to sleep if you wake them up they will give you a good bit , we want peace in zimbabwe many have suffered for no reason from people like Chinotimba a cheap liar who you cant place at the time of the war there are many of you when the time comes we will point to you that we dont know you from a bar of soap watch time will tell remember Ian Smiths words NEVER IN A THOUSAND YEARS the in 1979 what took place funga hama you will see my book when i post part of it in the zim metro news it will be partly but the keys stories of who and how i went with and how we fought and then you can ask your heroes CDE Chiwenga and company and he will tell you its all true watch in the coming weeks on this site .