ed ship in the past 22 months. Mangono was the secretary for education in the Mutambara camp. Also defecting was Shaky Matake, the chairman of the party’s Masvingo Province, who took 20 executive committee members with him.
Mangono said the collapse of unity talks between the two sides forced him to quit the Mutambara MDC.
“I strongly subscribe to the view that only a united front will be able to unseat Zanu (PF) in the next general elections. The people speak every day of the need for unity,” he said.
Mangono said many party members took a dim view of the decision to leave the Save Zimbabwe Campaign and go it alone in the 2008 elections, and warned that many more were set to follow him.
He said, because of logistical problems, they could not bring everyone who defected to the Harare reunion but that they would hold a rally in Masvingo to give a chance to the many others who want to pledge their support for the party.
Speaking for the Mutambara MDC, Priscilla Misihairambwi Mushonga, the deputy secretary general, said they would not lose sleep over those who had defected. Acrimony over whether to participate in Senate elections in October 2005 led to the party splitting into two groups.
Former party deputy secretary general Gift Chimanikire, ANZ chairman Sam Sipepa Nkomo, Kwekwe legislator Blessing Chebundo, the late party chairman Isaac Matongo, and dozens other party officials have jumped ship. – SW Radio Africa