via Biti rules out joining Zanu PF – DailyNews Live by Thelma Chikwanha 11 MARCH 2014
Tendai Biti, the MDC secretary-general, yesterday said he would rather die than join President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF and reiterated that the 2013 elections were rigged.
The feisty lawyer has come under immense pressure after appearing to praise Zanu PF’s campaign strategies in the 2013 harmonised elections whose results were disputed by the MDC.
In a no-holds-barred interview with the Daily News at his Harare offices yesterday, Biti said he would never sell out the democratic struggle.
“I would rather die than join Zanu PF,” an emotional Biti said.
“I am a child of the MDC and I believe that more than ever, this country needs a strong and united MDC. I was part of the group of 10 who met secretly and conceived the idea of MDC and how it was to be formed… that (joining Zanu PF) will not happen.”
Biti told a public lecture at the Southern Africa Political and Economic Series (Sapes) last week that Zanu PF’s “bhora mugedhi” message resonated with the electorate.
“Zanu PF in the last election had a very simple message, ‘bhora mugedhi’,” Biti told the Sapes dialogue.
“Even a little woman in Chendambuya or Dotito just knew one thing, bhora mugedhi,” Biti told the Sapes dialogue.
“Even a little woman in Chendambuya or Dotito just knew one thing, bhora mugedhi. Perhaps we were too sophisticated, but what was our message because the message of change of 2000 is not the message for now.
“We were selling hopes and dreams when Zanu PF was selling practical realities. We (Zanu PF) are going to give you a farm, it’s there. We are going to give you $5 000 through (Savior) Kasukuwere’s ministry.”
Despite being captured on voice recorders, Biti denied that he had spoken glowingly of Zanu PF’s performance during the last election.
While he claimed at his Sapes lecture that “we didn’t do well in 2013”, he said yesterday: “We ran the best campaign we have ever run. This election on July 31 was blatantly stolen period!
“I have not wavered and sold out to Zanu PF, that’s not true. I am clean I will always be clean, Zanu PF has nothing on me,” he said referring to allegations that he was under pressure to call for Tsvangirai’s ouster to fend off criminal charges arising from the GNU era when he served as Finance minister.
The secretary-general’s lecture last week gave rise to speculation that he was campaigning for Tsvangirai’s ouster, throwing the spotlight on his presidential ambitions.
But he said he had no presidential ambitions.
“I don’t want to be president of the MDC,” he said. “I have made that very clear to Morgan Tsvangirai himself.
“I’m a democrat and I didn’t wake up one morning saying that I’m going into opposition politics but circumstances forced me. Circumstances arising out of my great sense of justice forced me.
“I fought Zanu PF throughout my life. I fought Zanu PF on the streets and I fought Zanu PF in the courts and I will continue to be in these trenches until democratic change is achieved in Zimbabwe.”
The outspoken lawyer, who on Friday declared the suspension of his ally deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma “voidable”, said there was need to move away from politics of personalities.
“What I have learnt in the past few years is that we cannot put our faith in individuals,” he said.
“We have to put our faith in institutions, in constitutions and in teams. Let’s work as a team, let’s depersonalise issues. I also think that we must have a solid value system. Change without substance is no change at all.”
Asked whether he still had confidence in Tsvangirai’s leadership, he said: “Morgan Tsvangirai is the leader of the MDC and I absolutely have no doubt the MDC and its leaders will take the people of Zimbabwe to Canaan because it is the only viable and sustainable alternative to Zanu PF but we have our own internal issues which we have to deal with.
“But we need to refocus on our value systems.”
COMMENTS
Biti achiri kumahumbwe e politics he still needs more experience and exposure. He must conquer confusion to be successful in politics.
May the real Tendai Biti stand up and be counted. If the press reports are anything to go by, then Wanachi is a load of confusion. You talk of a simple message, just go through any of his Wanachi postings on Facebook and the message is anything but simple. If the MDC manifesto was sophisticated, then Wanachi, your finger prints are all over it then. I think this also borders on both political and mental immaturity. Zikomo.
Biti you sound ambivalent and should never be in politics in the first place.You cannot be MDC and Zanu Pf at the same time so stop wearing two hats on one head. You claim there are internal issues to be resolved in the MDC so why cant they be dealt with internally without involving the press. We all know you are now Zanu pf so pack and go you idiot.
Biti for President, Pasi ne ZanuPF!
Painful as it is to admit it,Biti was stating facts. He did not say that Zanu won fairly but that it had a simple message that people could understand and relate to.Here in Australia the guy who is now PM won power through simplicity of message and disunity on the other side.Biti is also right in saying we need strong institutions rather than personality.This is what keeps Western countries strong and forging ahead while we remain stuck in mudslinging at individuals. Let’s be mature and accept hard truths and learn from them instead of saying “pasi na Biti! ” or Biti is now Zanu,just because he told us what we didn’t want to hear
Well said, this is the truth, we need to do away with personalities and focus of facts to remain a force to reckon with at all times. Dialogue is the answer to many of the problems.
U r so daft
BITI TALKED BULL-S##T ANY IDEOT KNOWS ZANU LOST ELECTIONS.
WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD SUPPORT ZANU.
BITI IS JUST LIKE ARTHUR MUTAMBARA
I don’t think telling your enemy that you back door cannot lock is making your family safe. The fact that he went to the Herald or the Herald came to him was not very clever of him. We all know who controls the Herald. Had he said to them that the elections were rigged they would of never have printed his statement nor given him the time of the day.
Have been saying for years that Tendai Biti is THE only one for the job.
TENDAI BITI FOR PRESIDENT.
He is nt a politician ,he is a commentator,he can never b a President of a country bt can b a President of the zimbabwe diaspora and Internet commentators Association or the Internet President.in true life Lawyers are bad leaders they are Cruel thats why they Defend Thieves ,Rapist and Murderers. He must go otherwise Mdc wl never b stable ,whn Morgan makes a plan they run to inform Zanu and crushes the plan.He is a planted CIO informer ,Isu maForm 4 ndisu tinota Politics imi vanaBiti neshamwari dzako tozokuitai maMinister basa rofamba or munotigdzirira Manifesto kwete kuVANHU HAMUKWANI.kutaurisa urikunyanya,Varikukupa marii vanhu ava???Haunyarikutengesa people’s struggle .Fambai muchinyararire makoniwa,chimwe chokwadi chinokuparadzai mukasaziva pekuchitaurira.you were suposed to say that behind closed doors wth yr Guys nt Herald may b u wantd to please Murungu Foolish Bnnet and Donors so that they Donate more for you and company. Go Please
You seem MIS informed! Don’t believe every thing you read on the government papers.. Pamperi na Mkuru Biti! Biti for President! We are tired of weak and needy leadership! Mugabe threw him a time bomb in the shape of a ZANU wife, the idiot married! Should we say more!
Sobber up Biti. In politics, its with us or against us, period.
@Tendai sangi ,the Tv tendai hmself speaking,Sorry yr Presi to be akumakisai big time motoedza mangoma
You worry about minor things. Politics is a game of power, that Jongwe is played well for 34 years against all comers! Biti has learnt well that blind support is rubbish,and he will fair well in the future.
What a False Sense of Political Beauty:
Sorry ZPF do not want you Mr Wananchi. stay there kumachinja. If you want to be considered by the liberation party you have to:
1. Repent of Sanctions- get them removed.
2. Name and Shame – the regime-change agents you have been working with/for.
Without that ZPF does not feed on sickly game- haidye chafa chega!
Ndebvu please just go back to sleep. Penniless Patrick, as someone so aptly dubbed him, hasn’t got two beans to rub together and the nation is careering down the tubes. That is ZPF legacy! You are fooling yourself; obviously paid to put in your two cents worth. Come with us to a better Zimbabwe. What do we see when we look at the fruit that is Zimbabwe. A man would have to be pitifully bling to not see the truth. But as my fellow Zimbabwean I do care about you. Know that. Even if you have blinkers on!
Never believe anything until it is officially denied. Welcome aboard comrade Biti.
Well said Jack.
Misfiring!!! Besieged by a Mutambara syndrome!!!!!
Why do you hate on all those who fought Mugabe for freedom for all. Biti is Beast legend in the Streets of Harare, wHere the really Resistance is taking place… People’s homes, churches, local government, my old UZ stomping grounds.. Guys ran away to SA and London from the struggle… These same cowards now want to call Biti names? Vyakomana!! Zakaoma!
Bhora mugedhi rakazivikanwa nyika yose bcoz of a ZTV that only covered Zanu Pf, a ZBC that banned opposition campaign stuff while bhora mugedhi was the lyric of each 15min. Nowonder ZBC got broke, the ZPF ads are not paid for. Mdc was campaigning by word of mounth bambo. Then the other stuff you know; threats, rigging, voter register, nikuv etc. I m teaching you what you taught me. I have video of youth yakabva kwachiendambuya iya iri muzupco kuuya kuzovoter kuMt Pleasant…..you, Tendai, is also on the video
zanufication of MDC. I see blind a ligeance to bad , corrupt and poor leaders. Until people opened their eyes to see, freed their minds to think, then we are lost as a nation . From the comments above, I am lost for words. Lets not get emotional and think. I get the feeling some get paid to write on this site. This isa nation we talking about. An inheritance . please do not destroy for a few pennies.
Think.
Tendai Biti is just a power hungry anarchist. He will soon prove that he is the driving force of the current confusion in the MDC T. Biti, Mangoma and Bennett are cut from the same cloth.
Weak leadership is the problem of the MDC. Really their should a criteria that if you do not have a degree, you cannot be party leader. Mugabe ran circles on our mundara since 2009 – by July 2013 it just became embarrassing.
@mandy I think that is a very unfair criticism. Do any of us really know the full inside story. And what do we gain by downing each other continually. There should be open and honest dialogue and then the MDC should tell us the whole truth. It has become unhealthily messy. All these guys have sacrificed a lot and I am hugely saddened by this whole affair.
There was nothing with the 2000 message of democratic change but everything is wrong with the messengers entrusted to deliver the changes. Having failed to get even one single reform implemented in the five years in the GNU it was clear MDC were incompetent to carryout this task. But instead of admitting their incompetence and down right betrayal of the people Biti is now blaming the message! What a cheep shot!
The most important thing for the nation is to understand that there is no hope of holding free and fair elections – the pre-requisite for good governance and economic recovery unless the democratic reforms are implemented. The people will have to be really naïve to trust Biti and Tsvangirai to get the reforms implemented!