Makoni to launch presidential campaign

Makoni to launch presidential campaign

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By Torby Chimhashu

ZIMBABWEAN presidential hopeful Simba Makoni will gauge his popularity this week when he holds key rallies in Bulawayo and Harare over the weekend.

Since announcing that he is vying for the country’s top office, a lot of interest has swirled on the former finance minister who threatens to end President Robert Mugabe’s 28-year rule.

“We have begun implementing our roll-out programme and are quite confident that the people will come and meet the President in person,” retired Major Kudzai Mbudzi, one of Makoni’s backers said Thursday.

“This is an opportunity for progressive Zimbabweans to interact, share and receive the message of Dr Makoni and what he can do for the people of this country if he wins next month’s election.”

Makoni would be in Bulawayo Friday and Saturday before heading for the capital where he is scheduled to hold a rally in the poor township of Highfield at the Zimbabwe Grounds on Sunday.

The two rallies will gauge Makoni’s support, and his likely impact on the presidential race which pits President Mugabe, opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai and independent Langton Towungana.

Mbudzi claimed the Central Intelligence Organisation has been at the centre of a dirty ploy to frustrate their campaign by threatening banks, estate agents and other governments departments. Makoni says the government will not issue registration numbers for his campaign vehicles.

Said Mbudzi: “We have been battling to get paper for posters; offices and opening a bank account for Friends of Simba. Banks were refusing to accept us until recently. Since Dr Makoni announced that he is contesting in this election, our efforts have been frustrated by the CIO.

"We had found offices in both the central business district and low density suburbs but on last minute we were told the premises had been bought by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

“At one building we found guards deployed by the RBZ yet we had been told the offices were open and ready to let.”

Despite the setbacks, said Mbudzi, Makoni and his team have done their homework and were confident of scaling the hurdles.

Friday Makoni was scheduled to have 10 hours of a meet-the-people road show in Mashonaland Central Province, a stronghold of the ruling Zanu PF party, but also the home turf of Vice President Joice Mujuru whose husband, Solomon Mujuru, is believed to be backing Makoni.
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