'Tsvangirai, Biti must heal rift'

People's Democratic Party (PDP)'s deputy secretary Tongai Matutu has implored his leader Tendai Biti and MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai to iron out their differences for the benefit of suffering Zimbabweans.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily News, Matutu said there was need for Biti and Tsvangirai to find common ground if they entertain any hopes of dislodging Zanu-PF from power.

"We need leaders who are prepared to sacrifice their personal interests for the good of the country," the ex-deputy Indigenisation minister said.

"If these guys fail to work together, they will cause more suffering to the people of Zimbabwe. We want leaders who can actually support whoever is selected to lead the opposition party's coalition. I don't have a problem with any leader who is going to be selected to lead the coalition since the issue is not about leaders, it's about the people of Zimbabwe."

Matutu accused opposition political parties of being selfish, saying they are driven more by the desire for personal aggrandisement at the expense of servant leadership.

"Time is not on our side. All opposition political parties must take this issue of working together seriously.

"There is no need to put personal egos on front whilst people are struggling.

"I have more friends in Tsvangirai's party, we have been in the struggle with these people for a long time, so I cannot allow personal differences to disturb our struggle against Zanu-PF's misrule."

The former Masvingo Central MP said as long as opposition political parties fail to work together, throwing spanners on the mooted coalition would perpetuate Mugabe's rule and extend the general populace's suffering.

"Any person anotoramba kushanda navamwe ari worse kukunda anoshanda achikonewa kana ari kuita kuti vanhu vatambure (Anyone who refuses to work with others is perpetuating the people's suffering)," Matutu said.

Matutu's sentiments come after  Biti told the Daily News last month that while he was in talks with Joice Mujuru, he would never countenance an alliance with Tsvangirai.

"We differed in principles and values and now the situation has worsened, the chasm has widened, it has been exacerbated," Biti said.

"It is about a fundamental of principle. We are in contact with genuinely progressive forces that are democratic, including People First."