'Mugabe has finally met his match'

ZIMBABWEANS yesterday expressed mixed views over former Vice-President Joice Mujuru's fledgling political project, People First, and her grand re-entrancy into the country's mainstream politics.

NewsDay took to the streets of Harare to gauge the general sentiments over the People First project.

While the majority of the interviewees said they supported Mujuru's political outfit, others said her past connections with Zanu-PF had a potential of denting her future political plans.

Former Zimbabwe National Students' Union (Zinasu) spokesperson Zachariah Mushawatu, a political science graduate, said: "There is definitely room for a new opposition party to become popular. However, People First making it big on the political front might prove a bit difficult because the protagonists in that party unfortunately, have a bad history. They were involved in bad things associated with Zanu-PF that happened in this country and brought the country to its knees since 1980."

He said the party had high chances of attracting foreign funding because of its liberal thinking as envisaged in its manifesto.

"Their manifesto is also in line with the new liberal thinking of America and Western countries that leaders should have little to do with governance of a country. It is clear that People First are trying to attract funding from the West.

"But, I also think People First will do very well if they go into a coalition with the MDC-T because it is still the main opposition with the biggest number of supporters."

Taxi driver, Simbarashe Chiwashira said he was sceptical Mujuru would be able to offer a new dimension that will be different from what she has known in Zanu-PF all her life.

"She has been part of the system and I am not sure if she can bring a new dimension to the way we conduct our politics. But, of course, it is good because she has intimate details of how Zanu-PF has misruled this country and where it has failed. The answers are there for her," Chiwashira said.

Car wash attendant, Wonder Zuze was ecstatic at Mujuru's prospects and her announcement that she might challenge President Robert Mugabe in 2018.

"I am excited and would actually want to join her youth ranks," Zuze said.

But, some women, who refused to be identified, said Mujuru was still Zanu-PF to the core and should not try to disturb MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai's efforts to wrest power from Zanu-PF.

"She is Zanu-PF and does not exist in our vocabulary. We don't want her to mess with Tsvangirai, he has fought this regime for a long time and deserves to rule this country.

"Mujuru is a Zanu-PF member and those in Zanu-PF should be the people to comment on her political activities," said a city woman who declined to be named.

Cathrine Murwira, a housewife, said Mujuru might just be the tonic that Zimbabweans have been yearning for.

"She is good and has inside knowledge of Zanu-PF. She has been there and has done it and we welcome her decision to come back after what happened last year. We want change and the opposition parties that have been around for all these years have failed us. She could rescue us," Murwira said.

A vendor and activist Angirayi Mwoyowatidhi said Mujuru was a strong political force to reckon with come 2018 elections.

"In Shona there is a saying that a marauding lion can only be liquidated by a lion. Zanu-PF might just have met its match in Mujuru and that is why they are jumpy. When the history of this country is written, Mujuru's name will be among the women of valour who fought for the independence of this country.

"She has been in the government since independence and her experience will help us a lot. Mujuru was part of Zanu-PF when Zimbabweans were brutalised, but has kept her cool in the face of vilification from her former comrades. It shows she is a mother and understands our situation," Mwoyowatidhi said.