Dabengwa also predicted that Makoni would be called back to Zanu (PF) and possibly replace the ageing leader. Makoni, since he broke away from Zanu (PF) to lead a loose coalition of candidates during the 2008 general elections, has conspicuously avoided a hardline stance against Mugabe.
It took him a long time to transform his Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn grouping, to which Dabengwa belonged at one time, into a political party, with some of his colleagues accusing him of being a Zanu (PF) plant meant to divide the vote.
“Dabengwa appeared to be bitter that former army commander Solomon Mujuru had never publicly come out to support Makoni and was still waiting for an explanation from Mujuru,” said US Charge d’affairs, Katherine Dhanani, to whom Dabengwa had spoken. “As for Makoni, Dabengwa dismissed his current relevance to Zimbabwean politics. He said Makoni would never make a clean break with Zanu (PF) and was still hoping to be called upon to succeed Mugabe.”
On his departure from Zanu (PF), Dabengwa told the US diplomat that he chose to support Makoni’s presidential candidacy in the 2008 March elections because he had expected Solomon Mujuru to break ranks with Zanu (PF).
“Mujuru’s support of Makoni could have dealt Zanu (PF) a devastating blow,” Dabengwa told Dhanani.
Dabengwa then told the US official that he had been motivated to leave Zanu (PF) PF-Zapu and its members had become marginalized after being forced into the 1987 Unity Agreement. According to the cable, Dabengwa also said he would be willing to collaborate with MDC formations in opposing Zanu (PF) and negotiating a transitional agreement, but he had not yet talked with Tsvangirai.
Post published in: News