BEITBRIDGE - MDC youths say they are ready to die defending party leader Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in the event “dark forces” prevent him from taking power legitimately.

These are some of the bold statements MDC youth leader Solomon Madzore has been making since being released from remand prison last month.

“This time we are going to make sure that our leader Morgan Tsvangirai goes straight into the State House after winning elections and noone will stop him,” said Madzore during an address to about 400 party supporters in Beitbridge on Saturday.

“We are ready to die for Tsvangirai. We fear only God and not (President Robert) Mugabe,” Madzore said.

Tsvangirai and many other Zimbabweans fear that security sector commanders fiercely loyal to Mugabe will move to prevent the former trade unionist from taking power if he wins against the 88-year-old like he did in March 2008.

Repeated statements by some commanders and Cabinet members such as Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa that the defence forces would not allow Tsvangirai to take power even if he wins popular vote, have deepened the worries.

Madzore and his MDC youth band appear ready to tackle such a situation if the need arises at least according to their daring public statement. In his Beitbridge address, Madzore took aim at defence forces commander Constantine Chiwenga and police commissioner-general Augustine Chihuri, two men who have publicly declared their undying allegiance to Mugabe’s Zanu PF and have vowed never to salute Tsvangirai.

“Chiwenga and Chihuri will have to salute Tsvangirai. If they refuse we will just tell them to go. We need peace in Zimbabwe after next year’s elections and Mugabe has to respect the will of the people,” said Madzore, before going for the head.

“Mugabe must leave for Zvimba (his rural home) after losing elections next year. We won’t allow him to continue holding the future of Zimbabwe hostage,” said Madzore, who spent more than a year in remand prison on a charge of killing a police officer.

He denies the charge and trial is ongoing. - Pindai Dube