MDC-T courting Dumiso Dabengwa?

THE Movement for Democratic Change formation led by Prime Minister Mr Morgan Tsvangirai has approached Dr Dumiso Dabengwa's seeking an alliance with his party for the forth coming harmonized elections this year, the Southern Star reported.

PM Tsvangirai recently sent a high powered delegation from his party for talks with the former Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (Zipra) intelligence supremo in neighboring South Africa and Bulawayo.

The delegation included the self-exiled MDC T national treasure Mr Roy Bennet and deputy national chairman Mr Morgan Komichi - who is also the deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development in the inclusive government, party insiders who requested anonymity said.

Mr Bennet, a former member of the British South African Police, recently angered Zimbabweans from across the political divide when he made reckless remarks about the late veteran nationalist Dr John Landa Nkomo.

Dr Dabengwa, who leads the fractious opposition Zapu PF, has been promised a "big post" after the polls by Mr Tsvangirai as part of the alliance deal.

The MDC T has neither denied nor confirmed the alliance reports. In an interview, PM Tsvangirai spokesperson Mr Luke Tamborinyika said: "As a party we are ready, willing to work with any progressive force top remove Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF from power for the betterment of the lives of the people.

"If Dr Dabengwa is one such person, who wants to work with us, then it's a gain in this revolution, you talk to Chamisa or Mwonzora about the story you are chasing,' he said.

Mr Chamisa was unreachable whereas Mr Mwonzora said: "Why is Zanu PF panicking when they see people that have left it talking to us. Dr Dabengwa is a liberator of this country and has every right to talk to and work with any political organization he wants. He is not a member of Zanu PF and we don't understand why there is so much noise about his political choices," he said.

Mr Mwonzora, however refuted that there was ever "any formal meeting" with Dr Dabengwa by his party in South Africa and or Bulawayo.

Dr Dabengwa denied having any talks with anyone from PM Tsvangirai's party over the alliance.

"I have never met anyone from MDC T. I have not spoken to Tsvangirai. Our party cannot work with that group. We have our won election plan and it does not have MDC T, MDC 99, MDC, Zanu PF.

"Your sources told you lies. They must show evidence of what they are talking about. This is propaganda. As Zapu, we expect it in election time and we will not depart from our plans because of it. You must investigate your story, verify information you get and then write facts," said the former minister of Home Affairs.

It is said, Mr Tsvangirai whose party has failed to strike a deal with the other MDC formation led by Professor Welshman Ncube has opted to work with Dr Dabengwa as he "commands a lot of respect and support" in Matabeleland and Zimbabwe because of the critical role he played during the liberation struggle and after.

Further, the sources said, the decision to work with Dr Dabengwa was also influenced by the party's failure to woo war veterans to it. Just a fortnight ago, the MDC T failed to launch its Veterans Trust in Bulawayo after discovering that there were less than ten genuine war veterans in the trust.

Dr Dabengwa became an acceptable alternative to Prof Ncube, who MDC T heavyweights from Bulawayo - national chairman Mr Lovemore Moyo, deputy organizing secretary Mr Abednico Bhebhe and vice president Ms Thokozani Khuphe threatened to resign if a decision to work with him (Prof Ncube) was approved by the last national council meeting.

"The president delegated senior party officials to talk to mdala Dabengwa. They met him in South Africa at Sandton Square. Our structures are dead in Matabeleland.

"Zanu PF and Welshman (Prof Ncube) will cruse over us if we do not have a serious figure like Dabengwa on our side. That is why the leadership accepted the proposal to work with him (Dr Dabengwa)," said the source.

He added that a follow up meeting was held in Bulawayo, where Dr Dabengwa deliberated with an MDC delegation that included Mr Komichi.

"Some sticking points on the alliance deal needed presidential assent and from South Africa, a meeting had to be convened in Bulawayo after the team has spoken to the president," the source said.

The decision by the MDC T to work with Dr Dabengwa has drawn the ire of organizations.

Mr Mbuso Fuzwayo, the secretary general of a Bulawayo based pressure group, Ibhetshu likaZulu castigated both Mr Tsvangirai and Dr Dabengwa over the alliance talks.

"I think DD should not repeat the 1987 Unity accord that drowned Matabeleland to second class citizens. The people of Matabeleland are not commodities that can always be put on cheap auction. They need a huge chunk in the national cake. Does it mean that ZAPU was always full of people who are incapable of being leaders by themselves?

"Mr Tsvangirai and his MDC T will never win any election in Matabeleland or Zimbabwe against any party even if they work with angels. He (Tsvangirai) is a disgrace in the region after abusing our sister and persuading her to abort his son, Ethan," said Mr Fuzwayo.

The spokesperson of Prof Ncube's MDC, Mr Nhlanhla Dube said the MDC T-Zapu alliance was destined.

"There is no light in whatever Mr Tsvangirai and Dabengwa are up to.

Its just as a "lets mit and chat" game. However after all, Dabengwa must guard against soiling his reputation by associating himself with someone who called Ndebeles "termites" in his book, said Mr Dube.

Controversial former St Mary's legislator Mr Job Sikhala said: "l worked with Dabengwa in the Common Issues Platform(CIP) and l have full respect for him. I don't think it's true that he would take that decision without consulting some of us who worked with him outside the inclusive government.

" If he (Dr Dabengwa)  makes such a decision some of us will be surprised because l know his intimate love for ZAPU and doubt whether he would love to see it swallowed for the second time again," he said.