Zimbabwe veterans brand Mugabe challenger traitor

By Cris Chinaka

Former finance minister Simba Makoni, a senior member of ZANU-PF, entered the presidential race on Tuesday, in the first major challenge to Mugabe from within the ruling party in 20 years.

On Wednesday, Zimbabwe's government-controlled media branded Makoni a British and American-sponsored puppet seeking to split ZANU-PF and oust Mugabe.

"We are now going to campaign vigorously for President Mugabe. I feel sorry for Makoni, he has lost the political plot," Chinotimba told the Herald newspaper.

Chinotimba said Mugabe's war veteran supporters -- who have anchored Mugabe's election campaigns since 2000 -- would not allow Makoni and his supporters to enter the party's offices.

War veterans, who fought in the 1970s conflict, along with members of ZANU-PF, have turned violent in the past in support of Mugabe. There are 30,000 war veterans in Zimbabwe.

Political analysts say Makoni is popular with the business community and urban voters disenchanted with Mugabe and the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) but doubt he has the muscle to defeat the veteran Zimbabwean leader.

Makoni said he had consulted party members and activists across Zimbabwe before deciding to run. Despite economic turmoil, 83-year-old Mugabe had been expected to defeat the divided opposition in the election.

But the opposition has failed to capitalise on Mugabe's failure to ease the crisis and it remains to be seen if daily hardships will push Zimbabweans to support Makoni.