In an exclusive interview with The Zimbabwean, Makoni said there was need for the two warring factions within the MDC to reconcile for the sake of democracy.
Makoni said: “The more splinters that the opposition has, the easier it is to break. There is urgent need to address the big man syndrome within our politics and try and reconnect and reconcile for the interest of democracy.”
“There may be differences but the solution is not to break away and separate ways,” said Makoni. “The MDC challenges are not entrenched beyond reconciliation.”
He said the ongoing problems within the MDC were not unique to that party as other parties have in the past faced the same problems.
“There were divisions which saw the formation of Zanu (PF). Maybe the opposition parties can take this time as an opportunity to re-organise and strategise on how they can come up with a united front without anyone feeling superior,” said Makoni.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, expelled some of the party’s top lieutenants including the party’s Secretary General, Tendai Biti for orchestrating a plot to topple him as the party President.
Last week, efforts to recall the MDC renewal team hit a snag following the Speaker of Parliament’s stance urging the two formations to seek recourse within the courts.
Jacob Mudenda told the two formations that their communication, one sent by Biti and the other by the party’s Deputy President, Thokozani Khupe contained no legal issues which required his intervention.
Said Mudenda in his response: “The communication does not require the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the National Assembly to determine or rule on whether or not to act pursuant to the provisions of Section 129 (1) (K) of the Constitution.”
“In any case, neither the President of the Senate nor the Speaker has any authority and role to play in the internal disciplinary actions, disputes or differences within political parties, which matters may be appropriately dealt with by a competent court.”
Makoni said an all inclusive coalition that included Tsvangirai would solve the country’s social, economic and political challenges.
“There is room for everyone. The grand coalition that I am referring to should involve everyone. Politicians alone do not have the solution to the country’s challenges,” said Makoni.
He dismissed as retrogressive Welshman Ncube’s perspective of a coalition that excluded other leaders.
“I do not buy the Welsh perspective which is saying exclude Tsvangirai. I am about uniting and not dividing and I want an all inclusive union,” he said. “No one individual has the capacity to solve the myriad of challenges that we face as a country.”
Makoni revealed that he had engaged both leaders on the way forward, but would not disclose the outcome of those meetings with Tsvangirai and Biti.
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Is Makoni the new Leader of the Coalition Movement?…..
Mdc and others should listen to reason. Makoni always makes sense. Politics in Zimbabwe always creates small gods that get drunk with power and lose touch with the people at the grassroots, one only has to see mugabe who has become a god to many as he showers them with blessings (money or high positions) he is kept in an ivory tower and has no idea how “his people” suffer, he travels overseas for medical treatment, his children go to university out of Zimbabwe. He flies around the country and does not experience the state of the roads but makes stupid comments that councils need to be jerked up, potholes have been around for more than a decade, why hasnt he complained before. Makoni is correct, Big man Syndrome is a problem. Our leaders should humble themselves and be servants of the people, not masters!
Yes these splinter groups are only there to confuse people & derail progress in the struggle.There is absolutely nothing democratic in the behavior of the recent break away group from MDC-T.
Nothing new is on offer except a useless call for an equally useless
GRAND COALITION. Action speaks volumes louder than words. BITI & company simply want money & power NOT the nonsense they are now preaching about.We don’t need a plethora of splinter groups with nothing to offer. Really serious fighters never rebel against each other before the common enemy’s defeat. Who is fooling who????