Simba Makoni makes his move

As predicted, the charismatic Makoni is standing against Mugabe - but is he heading for a fall?

His press conference may have been hastily arranged, but Zimbabwe's former finance minister and Zanu-PF politburo member Simon Makoni sounded strong and confident this morning, Friday, when I listened to him announcing that he would challenge Mugabe for the Presidency at the elections next month.

Much of this confidence must stem from his backers. He told me privately that he expected statements of support from Solomon Mujuru, retired colonel Kudzai Mbudzi and academic Ibbo Mandaza shortly. Mujuru is of course the most influential of these three, and my sources tell me that he has swung the army behind his protege.

Predictably, attacks on Makoni has already begun. Three cabinet ministers - Didymus Mutasa, Joseph Made and Patrick Chinamasa - were on their feet on Sunday in Manicaland, alleging that Makoni is bent on destroying Zanu-PF by forming an alliance with the opposition Movement For Democratic Change. Would that he could.

The truth is that the wretched MDC has once again shot itself in the foot. Quite contrary to what I was confidently forecasting only a few days ago, it has not united to fight Zanu-PF. Instead it has once again split in two, a sad development that would seem to hand victory to Mugabe on a plate.

Can Makoni succeed without help from the MDC? It was thought that a new breakaway party, to be called the Patriotic Front, would back his move. But this plan also seems to have gone cold.

Makoni will clearly need an organisation to support his bid for the presidency, and he won't get it from Zanu-PF. My guess is, while the new party will not exist officially, the same faction, with Mujuru as its powerhouse, will provide Makoni with the backing he needs.

Will it be enough? Probably not. Remember, Mugabe has police, spies, thugs, bribery, fake ballot papers, intimidation, terror, and his own insane devotion to power, all going for him.

Simba Makoni must know all this. Which makes him a brave man indeed.

Comments

[L Mapfumo]

Go Simba Go !!! God and the suffering people of this nation and country will rally behind you.I pray that the rest of the opposition will stop their retrogressive tendencies and team up with Simba to work towards the Zimbabwe people's redemption from this savage and cruel regime.

[J. Makombe Bukutu]

Thank you Makoni. You may not win the election now, but we will always remember you as the suffering masses of Zim. Your courage and leadership at this perilous hour when we are in the clutches of that Devil Mugabe will always be remembered and saluted. When we were despairing at that student leader Mutambara and the Villager form Buhera Morgan, you have given us reason to hope and dream again. Even if the Devil steals this election (as surely he will) he will not last long. Rise even higher Makoni, God and the People of these Dzimbahwe are with you. Your hour has come and that Devil will be exposed and he and all his princelings will answer for the blood they spilt. The country of Zim belongs to God and the People, not that thieving Devil!

[J. Makombe Bukutu]

Thank you Makoni. You may not win the election now, but we will always remember you as the suffering masses of Zim. Your courage and leadership at this perilous hour when we are in the clutches of that Devil Mugabe will always be remembered and saluted. When we were despairing at that student leader Mutambara and the Villager form Buhera Morgan, you have given us reason to hope and dream again. Even if the Devil steals this election (as surely he will) he will not last long. Rise even higher Makoni, God and the People of these Dzimbahwe are with you. Your hour has come and that Devil will be exposed and he and all his princelings will answer for the blood they spilt. The country of Zim belongs to God and the People, not that thieving Devil!

[ken]

This is great in that with the MDC and its tribal politics we needed a third way, another option and I am afraid this is a start to a new political landscape. Its unfortunate that we have to expect change from within the regime but what can we do. MDC has fucked all of us in the face.

[Bryce Curry]

Go, Simba, go!!! At last - an eleventh hour glimmer of hope. I look forward to hearing from you about your policies on how to go about restoring this country to its former greatness.

Please give us someting to believe in regarding:
- reviving the agricultural and mining sectors
- restoring the health system
- restoring the education system
- restoring and renewing our infrastructure (transport, power, water, social housing, etc)
- breaking free of this lunatic cycle of inflation
- restoring investor confidence
- addressing land redistribution while at the same time retaining and re-invigorating the commercial farming sector (including encouraging our skilled commercial farming base to return to the land in Zimbabwe instead of elsewhere)
- encouraging the diaspora to return
- restoring citizenship to those from whom it was stolen
- restoring the voters' roll

Please, Simba, please - above all give us reason to be proud again.

[Takudzwa Mhlanga]

I don't doubt that Simba is one of our best bets going forward politically and economically. Does he have what it takes to bring the ZANU moderates AND MDC together to form a united front? That's the only way he can win this election I would say. It would be silly for him to "go it alone"... He won't even carry Harare! I wonder what the villainous Prof-Jon-Moyo has to say on his blog. Next stop... prof-jonathan-moyo.com!

[Prophet G]

What a big mistake for our beloved Dr.Makoni.He was alraedy being touted the next Zimbabwean president, but NOT in a hurry and illplanned like in this sutuation.

Those who promised to back him will backtrack and leave him in obvlivion.A situation not fit for such highly respected leader.All the people in his party who pushed him should have come out clear,rather than playing a hypocritical game to leave Makoni labelled as one of the failures which is very unfortunate for him.The man he is standing against has vast experience and support to thwart all his enermies.

[Kudakwashe Mandishona]

i hope he stays true. i am mdc through and through, but honestly, i support simba. i think he will deliver us from this evil. us in mdc were unde attack for some time and i think it takes someone from within to defeat old, cunning mugabe. go simba go!!!!!!!

we will vote for u!!!!

kuda

[ken]

This Makoni is confused and Tsvangirai is also fucked up. I have lost hope

[maenza]

ZveZim gore rino anenge mahumbwe. Please lets be serious tisatamba nelife yevanhu. People have suffered enough. But Makoni waivakupi nguva yose iyi? Morgeni please batana nevamwe MDC ndisu. Zvembiri nokuzvivakira tuma kingdoms ndozvakatikanganisira Bob.

[thandie]

Tsvangirai is fucked up hands down