Show leadership, MKD activist tells Makoni

via Show leadership, MKD activist tells Makoni 17 August 2014 by Staff Reporter

MAVAMBO Kusile Dawn (MKD) leader, Simba Makoni, has come under attack from activists who accused him of failing to show leadership and ensuring the party develops into a genuine alternative for struggling Zimbabweans.

Formed after the former finance minister and Zanu PF member quit the ruling party to challenge President Robert Mugabe in 2008, the MKD has however failed to develop into a serious rival for the ruling Zanu PF party and the opposition MDCs.

Speaking at the party’s national congress in Harare at the weekend, MKD losing Chivi Central parliamentary candidate George Mudombo challenged Makoni to up his game.

“Our leader is well-branded but is poorly positioned. You cannot be a leader when you are shy; you cannot be in politics, when you don’t want to be known,” Mudombo said amid applause from delegates.

He also expressed concern at the party’s lack of grass-roots structures warning they were even losing ground to the splinter MDC Renewal group.

“There are no structures out there,” he said.

“If anyone says there are structures, it’s a lie. MDC Renewal team is even better because they have contact persons around the country; but MDK does not have.”

He also said although his family was excluded from government funded programmes because of his politics, this has not dissuaded him from fighting to bring change to the country.

“Leadership needs sacrifice and commitment. My family does not even get what others are getting because I am not Zanu PF,” he said.

However, the soft spoken Makoni dismissed the accusations claiming that the MKD was a renewed party with a different strategy.

He said he preferred a more inclusive leadership style instead of telling members what to do.

Said the former Zanu PF politburo member: “Kana mauya muchifunga kuti ndichakuudzai kuti chairperson wekwakati ndiani, handikwanisi kukuudzai.

“Kana ndikati endai munoita icho nechocho necho tinenge tasiyana sei navavo vanoti isu tisu tinogona? (If you came here expecting that I will tell what to do, I cannot do that. If we follow that route there will be no difference between us and those who say we know everything).”

Previously seen as a potential successor to Mugabe in Zanu PF, Makoni won 8.3% of the vote after deciding to challenge his former boss in the 2008 presidential election, frustrated by the veteran leader’s refusal to step aside and allow a younger leader to take over.

Some analysts believe Makoni may have denied Morgan Tsvangirai an outright vote in that election after the MDC-T leader won 47.9% of the ballot against 43.2 % for Mugabe, forcing the violent and inconclusive run-off.

In last year’s elections Makoni did not contest the presidency, choosing to back Tsvangirai instead.