News / National
Mujuru formally approaches Makoni, Dabengwa
14 Jan 2015 at 06:39hrs | Views
A ZANU-PF faction reportedly led by former Vice-President Joice Mujuru has extended an olive branch to former party heavyweights Simba Makoni and Dumiso Dabengwa to close ranks and come on board in its gloves-off fight against President Robert Mugabe.
On Monday, the group released a strongly-worded statement denouncing the ouster of its members from the ruling party and courted other disgruntled former party members to form a grand coalition to fight Mugabe.
Both Makoni and Dabengwa once served as Zanu-PF politburo members and Cabinet ministers in Mugabe's government, but left to launch their own political projects following a falling out with Mugabe in 2008. Makoni now leads Mavambo Kusile Dawn while Dabengwa leads Zapu.
But Makoni and Dabengwa yesterday ruled out the possibility of rejoining Zanu-PF saying they would only work with the Mujuru's embattled faction only in its quest to resolve the problems the country was facing.
They, however, said they were happy the Mujuru faction had now realised Zanu-PF's democratic shortcomings and intolerance to divergent views.
"I cannot work with Mutasa to solve the problem in Zanu-PF because I am not a member of Zanu-PF," Makoni said yesterday.
"We can only work together to deal with the problems affecting the Zimbabweans.
"I cannot be used to solve their (Zanu-PF) rotten party. I am happy they have realised that the party is rotten, although late, it is better late than never."
Makoni said he was willing to work with all progressive Zimbabweans for the common good of the country, adding that was the reason why he, since 2012, had been calling for a grand coalition of opposition parties to fight Mugabe's hegemony.
Dabengwa confirmed that the Mujuru faction had formally approached him, but said he would decide to co-operate after seeing their proposals.
"The issues that Mutasa raised were very important," he said.
"That is why some of us left the party. We cannot expect the party to respect the national Constitution when they fail to be democratic in their own party."
Dabengwa said he wished the Mujuru faction well and he was relieved they had seen Zanu-PF's true colours.
Mujuru and her allies claimed they were unfairly dismissed from the party on trumped-up charges in the run-up to the Zanu-PF congress in December.
In a statement by former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa, threatened to legally challenge and nullify the resolutions passed by the congress, adding that procedures were not followed in convening the indaba.
Mutasa was relieved of his duties in the party and the government along other heavyweights among them former party spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, former secretary for commissariat Webster Shamu, production secretary Dzikamai Mavhaire and eight provincial chairpersons, for working with Mujuru in an alleged plot to topple and assassinate Mugabe.
Mutasa, in his statement, said the December congress that railroaded some constitutional amendments to the party's governance charter were illegal, and so were the amendments.
On Monday, the group released a strongly-worded statement denouncing the ouster of its members from the ruling party and courted other disgruntled former party members to form a grand coalition to fight Mugabe.
Both Makoni and Dabengwa once served as Zanu-PF politburo members and Cabinet ministers in Mugabe's government, but left to launch their own political projects following a falling out with Mugabe in 2008. Makoni now leads Mavambo Kusile Dawn while Dabengwa leads Zapu.
But Makoni and Dabengwa yesterday ruled out the possibility of rejoining Zanu-PF saying they would only work with the Mujuru's embattled faction only in its quest to resolve the problems the country was facing.
They, however, said they were happy the Mujuru faction had now realised Zanu-PF's democratic shortcomings and intolerance to divergent views.
"I cannot work with Mutasa to solve the problem in Zanu-PF because I am not a member of Zanu-PF," Makoni said yesterday.
"We can only work together to deal with the problems affecting the Zimbabweans.
"I cannot be used to solve their (Zanu-PF) rotten party. I am happy they have realised that the party is rotten, although late, it is better late than never."
Makoni said he was willing to work with all progressive Zimbabweans for the common good of the country, adding that was the reason why he, since 2012, had been calling for a grand coalition of opposition parties to fight Mugabe's hegemony.
Dabengwa confirmed that the Mujuru faction had formally approached him, but said he would decide to co-operate after seeing their proposals.
"The issues that Mutasa raised were very important," he said.
"That is why some of us left the party. We cannot expect the party to respect the national Constitution when they fail to be democratic in their own party."
Dabengwa said he wished the Mujuru faction well and he was relieved they had seen Zanu-PF's true colours.
Mujuru and her allies claimed they were unfairly dismissed from the party on trumped-up charges in the run-up to the Zanu-PF congress in December.
In a statement by former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa, threatened to legally challenge and nullify the resolutions passed by the congress, adding that procedures were not followed in convening the indaba.
Mutasa was relieved of his duties in the party and the government along other heavyweights among them former party spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, former secretary for commissariat Webster Shamu, production secretary Dzikamai Mavhaire and eight provincial chairpersons, for working with Mujuru in an alleged plot to topple and assassinate Mugabe.
Mutasa, in his statement, said the December congress that railroaded some constitutional amendments to the party's governance charter were illegal, and so were the amendments.
Source - Southern Eye
