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MDC leader Ncube taunts Mpofu

Politics
MDC leader Welshman Ncube has poured scorn on Zanu PF politburo member and Umguza MP Obert Mpofu challenging him to contest against President Robert Mugabe

MDC leader Welshman Ncube has poured scorn on Zanu PF politburo member and Umguza MP Obert Mpofu challenging him to contest against President Robert Mugabe in his party’s presidential primary election first before he could dare him.

Report by Richard Muponde, Senior Reporter

Ncube said he was in the same league with Zanu PF’s Mugabe and MDC-T’s Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai who were party leaders and therefore presidential candidates for the forthcoming elections.

He also lashed out at Mugabe, whom he said was an eligible candidate for the Guinness Book of Record, “as the only leader in the world who presided over a hyperinflationary economic situation that killed Zimbabwe’s currency and later abolished it opting for other countries’ currencies”.

Addressing hundreds of party supporters at a campaign rally in Mpofu’s home area of Jambezi on Sunday,  Ncube pronounced himself as “presidential material” adding that he would not sink low to contest for a parliamentary seat.

“I am a presidential candidate not a Member of the House of Assembly for a constituency like Umguza,” Ncube said. “Mpofu should first win primary elections in his party against President Mugabe and then think of challenging me.”

The MDC leader said Mpofu was not as popular as he claimed “but uses grain as bait to lure people to attend his rallies.

“He treats people like chicken, broadcasting maize with the intent of capturing them. I don’t want to even ask how he got his wealth, but what I want to say to you is that he can buy you, but can’t buy the whole of Zimbabwe.”

The MDC leader added: “Mpofu is a coward, he instructed the police to remove my posters. If he wants us to go to the people let us do that transparently and not use dirty tactics like he is doing. We thought since Veterai (former Police officer commanding Matabeleland North) returned to his home area, things were now better but alas, he reincarnated in Mpofu.”

But Mpofu would not comment on what he termed “politicians’ outbursts” at rallies but would leave the electorate to choose candidates of their choice.

“Politicians say what they want but the onus is on the people to see who has done well for them. They are free to choose whoever they want after making their own judgments,” he said.

Mpofu last month said he would beat Ncube and MDC-T leader Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in any seat he would choose to contest.