'Mugabe will lose elections' says former ally

by Staff reporter

2012 June 29 21:04:14 | 2638 Views

HARARE - President Robert Mugabe is headed for an inevitable fall in the next elections, says Enos Nkala, a founder of Zanu-PF who claims to be one of the 88-year-old's best friends.

A "dead" Zanu-PF will not stand a chance against Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's "well-oiled political machine", Nkala said in an interview with the Daily News at his Bulawayo residence this week.

He also predicted that coalition government Industry minister Welshman Ncube's breakaway MDC party would gain more votes than it did in the 2008 election.

"In my own observation, Tsvangirai's party can win the next election with its well-oiled machine but because of the party's failure to show its political mettle in the GNU, the other MDC formation can spring surprises," Nkala said.

The former finance and defence minister dismissed Zanu-PF as a lifeless party which can no longer win back the support it has lost over the years.

"Zanu-PF is now a dead party. Tsvangirai's party will win the election but people of Zimbabwe will have to choose a leader with good leadership qualities though Tsvangirai lacks this.

"I can foresee the MDC getting the presidency," said Nkala, who held a private meeting with Mugabe in May.
He described Mugabe as a close friend after the meeting.

Nkala and Mugabe formed Zanu-PF in 1963 at his home in Harare's Highfield suburb and went on to become a powerful minister after independence before resigning to escape answering charges of corruption.

"By the time we go for elections, Zanu-PF will be a completely dead party even though it was formed in my house. Factionalism has affected the veins of the party," said Nkala, a fiery character during his hey days.

He said factionalism would split votes in favour of Mugabe's opponents, adding that all Tsvangirai needed to do now was work on his character flaws and mechanisms to ensure a smooth transfer of power.

"If Tsvangirai wins, I do not know him much to judge how he is going to run the country. That is another issue but we must have fair and peaceful elections and transfer of power because Zanu-PF is now a dead party," he said.

Tsvangirai and his party could however, fail to take over power even if they win elections as some military generals have threatened never to allow him near the presidential office.

"While our army was born and built from two liberation armies, Zipra and Zanla, they must obey the people's wishes and accept the leader chosen should we have elections soon," said Nkala.

Nkala said he doubted that a strong party would emerge from Matabeleland region to lead the country. He credited the region for good leadership but "the ball is taken away from them whilst they are still playing by those from the north because they claim to be the majority".

"There is Zapu led by Dumiso Dabengwa but I am not clear if they are spread well on the ground and there are these small pieces of political parties that also have the right to be there," he said.

Mugabe Nkala Elections Tsvangirai

Source: Daily News