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Heavyweights back rival to Zimbabwean president

Two political heavyweights endorsed former minister Simba Makoni as he launched his bid for the Zimbabwean presidency on Saturday, including a serving official with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's party.

Dumiso Dabengwa, a former home affairs minister and a member of the ruling ZANU-PF party's key decision-making body, became the first party heavyweight to come out in support of Makoni.

Makoni, himself a former key member of ZANU-PF, was also backed by Cyril Ndebele, a former speaker of parliament.

Both men joined Makoni to declare their support at a conference in Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo, where he launched his campaign to challenge Mugabe in the March 29 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 at a stadium in Bulawayo on Saturday, Makoni blamed 84-year-old veteran leader Mugabe for Zimbabwe's economic crisis which has seen inflation rise above 100,000 percent.

"Right now we are begging for food and waiting to be given [it] by those who sympathize with us," he said.

"Factories that used to work day and night are no longer functioning. Those in leadership are now seeking medical attention outside and the rest of the people in the country are not being attended to. Our condition today is primarily from the failure of national leadership," Makoni said.

He said his campaign was "a movement for renewal, revival and rededication to service," telling the cheering crowds: "We are saying, let's get Zimbabwe working again. Let's get Zimbabwe back on track."

The former minister, who was castigated by Mugabe as "a political prostitute," urged his supporters to campaign peacefully.

"Even if we are insulted, let's not insult back," he said. "Let's not fight others even we are provoked. No one is worth dying for. President Robert Mugabe is not worth dying or killing for. [Opposition leader] Morgan Tsvangirai is not worth killing or dying for. Simba Makoni is not worth killing or dying for."

Makoni announced early last month he was challenging Mugabe for the presidency, saying he had decided to do so "following very extensive and intensive consultations with party members and activists countrywide and also with others outside the party."

He had previously said he had the backing of many disillusioned party cadres and compatriots suffering through the current economic crisis.

He could not be drawn on who else inside ZANU-PF would back him.
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