Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) I was not fired from Zanu PF – Dabengwa

I was not fired from Zanu PF – Dabengwa
Ralph Mutema
Tue, 05 Aug 2008 03:26:00 +0000

DUMISO DABENGWA, a former home affairs minister and Zanu PF politburo member who seemed to have left the ruling Zanu PF party and supported of former finance minister, Dr. Simba Makoni in his bid for presidency has indicated that he never left the ruling party. Dabengwa shocked the nation in February this year by announcing the he was joining the Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn Project led by Dr. Makoni. Dabengwa joined Makoni at the time to declare his support at a press conference in the southern city of Bulawayo, where Makoni was later to launch his election campaign.

"It's not about Makoni's capability or strength,” Dabengwa said at the time. "It's about the people of Zimbabwe being enabled to chart the manner in which they want the challenges facing the country to be solved."

Dabengwa became the first ruling party heavyweight to come out in support of Makoni who said he had the backing of many disillusioned party cadres and multitudes of suffering compatriots – a move seen by many as resignation from the ruling Zanu PF party. However, on Friday last week, speaking at the Bulawayo Press Club, Dabengwa indicated that he had not formally left the Zanu PF party.

“I just don't attend Central Committee and Politburo meetings because of the trivial agendas of these meetings. Did you ever hear anyone say I have been fired from Zanu PF?”

Dabengwa also indicated that he had not discussed anything with Dr. Makoni beyond the March 29 presidential election, “I indicated to Dr. Makoni that I will be helping him run his presidential campaign – a move that was important at the time to give the people of Zimbabwe democratic space, but that is all we discussed. We never discussed forming a political party together.”

“At the time (last March) I indicated that it was time for a new leadership in the country,” said Dabengwa adding that he still held “those sentiments” but that did not mean that he was leaving Zanu PF.

Dabengwa refused to accept any government appointment after he lost his in the 2000 parliamentary elections to Gibson Sibanda, the pro-Senate MDC's vice-president. He however, remained a member of Zanu PF’s decision-making body, the Politburo, until March this year when he decided to back Dr. Makoni.

Labels: DUMISO DABENGWA, SIMBA MAKONI, ZANU-PF

posted by MrK @ 8:17 PM