Mare
… Mare likely to follow suit
Tatenda Shunyai
MASVINGO – The Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) structures in Masvingo are reported to be in quandary with some of its bigwigs confirming that they have officially left the party and traced their steps back to their former political homes while others are distancing themselves from the Joice Mujuru led party to stand as independent candidates.
Former Gutu East legislator Ransome Makamure has already dumped ZimPF while former Chiredzi West legislator Moses Mare is said to be on the verge of re-joining the Tsvangirai-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T).
Heya Shoko has also officially parted ways with the fledgling party and is now in the race to win back the Bikita West parliamentary as an independent candidate.
Shoko held the seat on an MDC-T ticket between 2008 and 2013 before losing it to now incarcerated Munyaradzi Kereke.
Makamure confirmed his new move saying he is now officially back at MDC-T as an ordinary party card carrying member.
“I have gone back to my actual home to finish what we started back in 1999. MDC-T is the only party that is ready to challenge the system and it has the genuine change agenda and it is change-oriented,” said Makamure.
Though not confirming his move to MDC-T, Mare, on the other hand, gave a strong hint that he may be missing life in his former party.
“I haven’t made that decision yet, but I will assess the situation closely and make a decision soon. Only time will tell if I will be leaving or not. There are a lot of problems and confusion in the People First and because of that, you cant rule out that I might re-trace my footsteps back to Tsvangirai.
“As for now I am still assessing the best move,” said Mare.
Mare who is believed to be an opinion leader in Chiredzi is said to be leading a group of seven others who might join him in going back to MDC-T.
ZimPF Masvingo Acting provincial spokesperson, Jeffreyson Chitando, criticised the ‘deserters’ as people who had never shown genuine commitment to the party.
“Makamure was never active in our party activities and he did not attend even our rallies. He only attended one rally and he was there to see Mai Mujuru. We wish him well with the MDC-T,” Chitando said.
On Shoko, he said he was not yet aware that the former MDC-T MP had abandoned ZimPF.
“I don’t even know that Shoko has left ZimPF, he never mentioned that to me,” said Chitando.
The development came four weeks after this newspaper published that almost all former MDC-T MPs were planning to dump ZimPF to rejoin Tsvangirai.
Information gathered by this publication indicate that there will be more problems after the Nomination Court announces candidates running for the Bikita by-election.
“You will see People First supporting an independent candidate in Bikita because Kudakwashe Gopo was imposed by Makova. There was no openness in choosing the candidate for Bikita by-election. We will never allow Makova to do whatever he wishes hence we will back the independent candidate … just wait and see how we are going to dump Gopo. There will be drama as we will join other opposition political parties in supporting an independent candidate,” said ZimPF official who preferred anonymity.news
