ZANU PF MP for Umguza and Mines minister Obert Mpofu’s campaign manager, Lameck Moyo, has defected to the MDC-T, accusing the former sole ruling party of subjecting the people to abject poverty.
REPORT BY NDUDUZO TSHUMA STAFF REPORTER
Moyo — who had been Mpofu’s campaign manager from 2005 — defected to the MDC-T during a campaign rally at Tatezela in Bubi district on Saturday.
Mpofu yesterday professed ignorance of Moyo and lashed out at the MDC-T.
The rally was addressed by Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe and MDC-T deputy organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe.
“I worked with Mpofu when he was first elected as an MP in 2005. I know that guy in and out. There is no peace or harmony in Zanu PF. “I have decided to join the MDC after realising that Zanu PF has also caused too much suffering among Zimbabweans. I think it is high time Zanu PF should be stopped,” Moyo said to applause from hundreds of MDC-T supporters.
Moyo said he would work hard to make sure that the MDC-T won the only two Matabeleland North constituencies of Umguza and Bubi under Zanu PF.
Zanu PF has three parliamentary seats in Matabeleland North, the first being Umguza under Mpofu, Bubi under Clifford Sibanda and Nkayi South under Small and Medium Enterprises minister Sithembiso Nyoni.
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In welcoming Moyo to the MDC-T, Bhebhe said: “Moyo has taken the right decision by joining the MDC, which is our party of excellence and is admired by many.”
Mpofu — who claims to be the richest and most powerful politician in the region — last week described himself as “King of Matabeleland”.
Khupe yesterday confirmed Moyo’s defection, saying he was running away from a litany of unfulfilled promises by Zanu PF.
“These people have failed the people of Zimbabwe in the last 32 years. If you have failed in the past 32 years, why would you expect that they would vote you into power?” Khupe said.
“Mpofu claims to be the King of Matabeleland when the people are suffering. Is he the king of poverty? He is going about giving people maize yet what people want is sustainable development. People want jobs and as long as there are no jobs, there is no development that he is bringing.
“You can only be king when people are happy. If people want development, they should make sure that they give us the mandate to rule on our own because it’s no use voting for a party that has failed you and those small ones that will never be able to form a government on their own. If Mpofu is the king, then why are his people defecting to us? The people will sow their seed on fertile ground and that fertile ground is the party led by Morgan Tsvangirai and myself.”
But Mpofu hit back, saying: “I do not know that person (Moyo), he is just a decoy of some political novices. I won’t comment on what other politicians are saying. I cannot stoop that low to talk cheap politics of personalities, but will concentrate on working with and helping the people. It shows how desperate they are in trying to entice the people.
“This time they are going to get the shock of their lives, I will not reduce myself to cheap politics. They have been distributing bicycles to people and that does not create employment. We are helping the people who are facing hunger due to drought and the MDC-T has not done anything to address their plight.
“If Khupe thinks she has made a breakthrough in that area, then we are going to put a candidate that will show her otherwise. They are in for a shock in Matabeleland North, it will be hard for them to get a single seat in Matabeleland North and I can assure you that.”
