Dabengwa backs Tsvangirai

Dumiso Dabengwa, a top ally of Makoni, said a meeting of representatives of the movement from the four provinces of Matebeleland North, South, Bulawayo and Midlands had agreed to help mobilise support for Tsvangirai, in a key boost for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party leader.As we pursue our quest for leadership change in the country, if our bid for a government of national unity fails, we urge our supporters to vote for Morgan Tsvangirai for president during the run-off, said Dabengwa in a statement.We are mindful of the concerns raised by our supporters after the March elections, and their requests that our project consolidates its position in the country’s politics and transforms itself into a vibrant, democratic and people driven political organization, he added.It could not be immediately established whether Makoni himself would also campaign for Tsvangirai ahead of the June 27 run-off election.Makoni, who came third behind Tsvangirai and Mugabe in the March polls, has remained largely non-committal over whether he would throw his weight behind the MDC leader. The former minister has instead campaigned for the run-off poll to be called off and a government of national unity formed and tasked to stabilise the political and economic environment before fresh free and fair elections are held.Makoni and Dabengwa broke away from the ruling ZANU PF party on February 5 to launch the Mavambo/Kusile movement that has sought to position itself as a third way between old rivals, Tsvangirai’s MDC and Mugabe’s ZANU PF.Tsvangirai starts as favourite to win the run-off poll that is being held because the MDC leader defeated Mugabe in a but fell short of the margin required to takeover the presidency. – ZimOnline