Big egos killing opposition, says Biti

via Big egos killing opposition, says Biti – NewZimbabwe 12/01/2016

ZIMBABWE’S opposition will continue to fail in its quest to dislodge President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF from power unless “personal egos” are done away with, former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has said.

Biti now fronts the new People’s Democratic Party after splitting with former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T following the 2013 poll loss.

Probably stung by reports of instability in most opposition ranks following former Zanu PF and State Vice President Joice Mujuru’ decision to embark on a nationwide tour meeting “structures” amid growing interests from activists across the divide, Biti called for cooperation in a statement Tuesday.

“That in 2016 some in the opposition still consider themselves to be ‘Goliaths’ who can single handedly defeat Zanu PF and establish the next government when they have subsequently failed to do so in 15 years, boggles the mind.

“Such big tent thinking punctuated of arrogance, exaggerated self-importance, deceit and hubris cannot take Zimbabwe forward.

“We need humility, cooperation, sincerity and thought leadership to transform this country and defeat Zanu PF,” Biti said in comments possibly aimed at former boss Tsvangirai who has consistently called on his colleagues in the opposition to join “our Big Tent”.

The former treasury chief has previously poked fun at Tsvangirai’s unity calls, describing this as a “leaking Big Tent”.

“The signals coming from our colleagues in this regard do not inspire confidence in the people of Zimbabwe that the opposition can be able to work together for progress and to fight a common enemy.

“To the ordinary eye it appears that big individual egos are taking centre stage and those with these huge egos are desperate to take claim of having ‘removed Zanu PF’ alone. What a tragedy!” the PDP leader said.

The party also urged Mujuru and her colleagues in the People First movement to close ranks with others of like minds.

“As PDP we also want to take this opportunity to welcome comrades who split from Zanu PF and have since joined the opposition ranks and we urge them to work a show the entire country that indeed an organic split has occurred in Zanu PF.

“While the opposition political terrain is slippery especially in the context of Zanu PF violence, it is fundamental that the new entrants really work towards recruiting from Zanu PF in order to increase the mass base of those opposed to Mugabe’s misrule,” the party added.

The PDP party said a broad coalition “of winners based on core issues affecting our people” would outwit Zanu PF and Mugabe’s “dictatorship”.