via Mujuru group reaches out to Dabengwa 19 December 2014
DISGRUNTLED allies of former Vice-President Joyce Mujuru have approached ZAPU with the view of forming a coalition to fight the ruling Zanu PF party, it has emerged.
Mujuru was ousted as State and Zanu PF vice president over allegations she tried to illegally depose President Robert Mugabe.
Axed with her were several cabinet ministers said to have been part of the plot along with Zanu PF provincial chairpersons who found themselves reduced to ordinary party members.
Addressing journalists at the Bulawayo Press Club Friday evening, ZAPU president Dumiso Dabengwa said some of Mujuru‘s key allies have already expressed their desire to work his party in fighting Zanu PF.
“Colleagues such as Ray Kaukonde, Rugare Gumbo and Ambrose Mutinhiri have expressed willingness to join hands and work with us in order to fight dictatorship,” said Dabengwa.
“Our unequivocal position is to urge them to stick to principle and to fight for democratic space so that events like Unity Day have meaning for all Zimbabweans both within the country and in their respective political formations.”
Dabengwa said his party was ready to engage and work with the disgraced officials in whatever arrangement to dislodge Zanu PF from power.
“We have been in the trenches with these people for a long time in as much as other people in the MDC –T. Massive disenfranchisement of those seen as challengers of the central authority is a major concern beyond the ruling party,” he said.
The former home affairs minister also criticised the recently held Zanu PF congress where last minute constitutional changes were made to ensure there were no elections for the top positions in the party.
“It is shocking that three decades after independence the ruling party’s congress departed from being elective to becoming appointive; meaning the ‘guided democracy’ that was in place for the choosing of the Vice President is now unequivocally vested in hands of one person,” he said.
“It is no surprise that this unprecedented power was immediately exercised by President Mugabe to unilaterally pick Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko (as vice presidents).”
Dabengwa also lambasted the first lady, Grace Mugabe, for insulting the people of Matabeleland while addressing party supporters during one of her meet-the-people tours in Gwanda.
“Grace Mugabe accused us of sending our young people to work in South Africa for blankets and other trinkets instead of productive work inside the country,” said Dabengwa.
“This insensitivity at the centre of power is not just a slip of the tongue but it merely underscores how necessary a devolved system of government is instead of centralised power that blames the marginalised for their situation.”
A former Zanu PF politburo member, Dabengwa quit the ruling party to revive ZAPU after being frustrated by President Mugabe’s refusal to step down and allow a younger leader to take over.
Mugabe, 90 this year, has vowed to serve out his current term which ends in 2018 when he could also run for re-election after Zanu PF endorsed him as its candidate for the presidency.
COMMENTS
There are too many leaders with too few followers to ever pose a threat to ZANU-PF – with a crooked eElection Commission available to them in any event.
The only way o dislodge Mugabe is for the leaders to cool down and step aside and form a United Democratic Front – with a coalition of top leaders of all parties and factions acting in co-operation.
Tsvangirai still has more followiers than all the rest combined – but has been cheated out of elections repeatedly – even Mugabe admits it publicly. He should join a new Coalition and step down to be Vice-President of the proposed Front and forget about the issue of fighting an election on his own.
l like your views Sir
For all his perceived weaknesses, Dabengwa seems to have a developed a knack for saying the right things. Its my wish if all opposition leaders could respond timely to what is eating our country is going through like CDE Dabengwa. I respect what you say comrade and kudos to you.
@Michael..’Tsvangirai still has more followiers than all the rest combined’…I think this statement is unfortunate.People in Zimbabwe wanted a party that could dislodge Zanu puff and give new direction to Zimbabwe. It is not for the support of Tsvangirai but being weary of Mugabe and his destruction of the country. When people were looking for an alternative MDC entered the political scene but right from onset were bound to fail as issues of power started to manifest themselves and political naivety demonstrated. If Zimbabweans have not learnt not to see a single leader as a saviour then even after Mugabe this nation is in trouble. Follow ideals, ideology, sound policies and NEVER elevate an individual. Let our minds be divorced and cleansed from Zanu puff sloganeering of ‘pamberi na nhingi..pasi na nhingi’.
@Rodlin
All very well indeed but its not going to cut it in the Zim situation.
Ideals, and sound policies are good in principle but when you have a ZANU playing mischief maker, one will have a tough time finding any of these qualities.
Witness the destruction of the MDC, a party which has won all the elections post 2000 but is now a shadow of its former self.
Nobody is perfect and to expect perfection in any leader is to cry for pie in the sky.
Whats needed is to unite behind a leader, warts and all, until we have rid ourselves of the ZANU monster.
it will come to an end at some point.
I have said it many times before – forget political parties and the political system, you will never get change through that process
@Ngoto
I think Rodlin is correct, blind loyalty to one person is what has landed us in this situation , and Tsvangirai has already shown signs of being like the old man before he even attains the presidential chair. Why would we want to swap one devil for the another