Two political heavyweights have endorsed former minister Simba Makoni as he launches his bid for the Zimbabwean presidency.
Dumiso Dabengwa, a former home affairs minister and a member on the ruling ZANU-PF party's key decision-making body, becomes the first party heavyweight to come out in support of Mr Makoni.
Mr Makoni, himself a former key member of ZANU-PF, has also been backed by Cyril Ndebele, a former speaker of parliament.
Both men joined Mr Makoni to declare their support at a press conference in Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo, where he launched his campaign to challenge Mugabe in the 29 March elections.
‘It's not about Makoni's capability or strength,’ Dabengwa said. ‘It's about the people of Zimbabwe being enabled to chart the manner in which they want the challenges facing the country to be solved.’
Speaking to a crowd of thousands at a stadium in Bulawayo, Mr Makoni blamed Mr Mugabe for Zimbabwe's economic crisis which has seen inflation rise above 100,000%.
‘Right now we are begging for food and waiting to be given (it) by those who sympathise with us,’ he said.
‘Our condition today is primarily from the failure of national leadership,’ he said.
Mr Makoni said his campaign was ‘a movement for renewal, revival and rededication to service’. He told the cheering crowds, ‘We are saying, let's get Zimbabwe working again. Let's get Zimbabwe back on track.’
