Mutumwa Mawere to challenge Mugabe for presidency

South Africa-based Zimbabwean businessman and academic, Mutumwa Mawere, has thrown his hat into the Zimbabwe Presidential race as leader of the newly formed United Movement for Democracy.

UMDP is predominantly made up of breakaway MDC-99 structures. Influential and brave former MDC-99 Spokesperson, Aaron Muzungu, and Vice President, Biviana Musimi, are among its members.

"After falling out with MDC99 leader, Job Sikhala, on matters of strategy, we realized that to achieve our objective of democratically changing the political dispensation in the country, we had to break away and form a new political party under the leadership of Mutumwa Mawere," said UMDP National Spokesperson, Aaron Muzungu.

Muzungu described Mawere as a practical and able leader with a vision. "Mawere is the man and most suitable candidate to head Zimbabwe. His business successes speak volumes about his leadership capabilities. He has what it takes to restore Zimbabwe's lost economic, social and political glory."

He said since political events were moving fast, UMDP would announce its interim structures at the September launch and embark on vigorous campaigns in preparation for coming elections. If elections were to be held in the distant future, Muzungu said the party would go to congress at a date to be announced before making inroads into the electorate for membership recruitment.

"The congress would endorse the presidency of Mawere and Biviana Musinami as his vice. Party structures suggested that I, (Muzungu), should hold the secretary general portfolio. Other national and provincial executive members are expected to retain positions they held at MDC-99, though with some minor changes. As a party, we would maintain the objectives we valued dearly at MDC-99. We would throw everything into the fight towards democratically removing President Robert Mugabe from power," said the firebrand Muzungu.

He added that he would miss Job Sikhala's strength and bravery as a fighter for democracy. MDC-99 vice Secretary General, Danuel Dhimbo, said his party would continue to grow "from strength to strength".

"We dismissed some of these people from MDC-99 because of their dishonesty and wayward behavior." Sikhala could not be reached for comment as he was reported to be out of the country. He recently told The Zimbabwean, that he dismissed Muzungu and others from MDC-99 as he could no longer trust them.

Political observers welcomed Mawere onto the political scene, describing his move as healthy for democracy. Efforts to contact Mawere for comment from his South African base were fruitless.