Dabengwa confirms he blocked Tsvangirai from winning 2008 presidential election

ZAPU leader Dumiso Dabengwa yesterday disclosed that he deliberately supported former Finance minister Simba Makoni's candidature to block an imminent victory by MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the the 2008 presidential race.

MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora yesterday said they knew of the plot all along.

Dabengwa made the remarks while addressing an MDC campaign rally in Chikomba, Mashonaland East province, as Tsvangirai, who has taken his campaign trail to President Robert Mugabe's backyard - Mashonaland West - yesterday vowed to challenge the number of people registered to vote under the special voting system next week, saying he suspects the figures were inflated.

Dabengwa said when he joined hands with Makoni, who had just broken ranks with Zanu PF, it was clear Tsvangirai was bound to win.

"I think we achieved what we had set ourselves to achieve and that is to make sure Morgan did not win that election and that Mugabe did not win that election," Dabengwa said.

"We had thought that the facilitator (former South African President Thabo Mbeki) would be able to bring all the parties to the table and not only the three parties in Parliament. We thought the facilitator would call us for the negotiations so that the GPA (Global Political Agreement) would come out a better document than the one we had. That's water under the bridge and we are now in the 2013 election."

In March 2008, Tsvangirai defeated Zanu PF presidential candidate Robert Mugabe, but failed to garner enough votes to be declared outright winner. Makoni got 8% while Tsvangirai had 47% and Mugabe 43% of the presidential votes cast.

Mwonzora said Dabengwa and Makoni's union in 2008 had resulted in the country suffering another term of Mugabe's rule.

"We knew that this was the reason why they joined forces. We also know what they were up to. They owe the people of Zimbabwe an apology because we are stuck with Mugabe as a result of the action."

Mugabe won the run-off election three months later after Tsvangirai had pulled out, citing persecution of his supporters.

Last week, Dabengwa and Ncube entered into a political pact to unseat Mugabe as a unified force with their campaign message premised on devolution of power. This happened as Tsvangirai and Makoni, who now heads Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn, and Zanu Ndonga leader Reketayi Semwayo sealed a similar deal in Harare with the MDC-T leader as sole presidential candidate.

Addressing the same Chikomba rally, Ncube told about 1 000 MDC supporters in attendance to stick to the "coalition for devolution", and accused Mugabe and Tsvangirai of personalising the country's resources towards development of Harare and its immediate environs at the expense of other regions.

"We want Mugabe out not because we hate him as a person. We want him out because of the corrupt leadership he has offered this country for 34 years. We hate him for his deeds," he added.

The rally was also attended by members of South Africa-based Zimbabwean businessman Mutumwa Mawere's United Movement for Democracy.

In Magunje, Mashonaland West province, Tsvangirai told about 2 000 MDC-T supporters that he was going to challenge what he termed inflated figures of police officers scheduled to cast their ballots as special voters early next week, saying the number of special and postal voters had been inflated to ensure a Zanu PF victory.
"The size of our police force is around 44 000, but all of a sudden we gather 70 000 have been registered to vote. Where have the others suddenly come from?" said Tsvangirai.

In an interview with NewsDay, MDC-T organising secretary Nelson Chamisa said the party would take up the issue with the courts.
"We are rejecting all those who are not civil servants. Their votes will be contested. We will take two routes ' one would be legal and the other political," Chamisa said.
Mwonzora said his party had instructed their lawyer to file an urgent court application to compel the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to disclose the exact number of members of uniformed forces eligible for the special vote.

"We have instructed our lawyers to file an application to compel Zec to quarantine the special votes until the actual number of security forces has been disclosed because there is no specific number. Police have refused to disclose the number of officers eligible to vote. It stands to reason that the number must be made public."

Tsvangirai also allayed fears that uniformed forces' votes would be monitored by their superiors.

"Let me advise police officers and soldiers that your vote would be your secret. We are monitoring that process seriously and we have fought hard to ensure that you vote freely," he said.

Turning to his party manifesto, the Premier pledged to channel 10% of the annual budget to agriculture and warned that unproductive beneficiaries of the land reform programme would lose their farms.

He also pledged to improve livelihoods of rural folk by helping to construct dignified homes for them.

In a related development, Vice-President Joice Mujuru yesterday pledged to dole out farming land to church leaders. Mujuru made the remarks while addressing church leaders and members of co-operatives at a belated commemoration of International Day for the Co-operatives in Masvingo.

She said men of the cloth were reluctant to benefit from Zanu PF empowerment programmes like land reform because of the violent manner they were executed.
"We know why you delayed to get into it. When we were pushing and shoving getting back our farms from the whites, you as men of the white collar were shy," she said.