By Cris Chinaka
Veterans of the country's liberation war have branded former Finance Minister Simba Makoni, a senior member of ZANU-PF, a traitor after he entered the race on Tuesday, in the first major challenge to Mugabe from within the ruling party in 20 years.
"He has expelled himself from the party, he was not expelled by anyone but himself. That is the position according to the rules of the party. So yes, indeed, he is expelled from the party," ZANU-PF's secretary for legal affairs, Emmerson Mnangagwa, told Reuters.
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.
ANCHOR OF CAMPAIGNS
"We are calling on all war veterans to take control of the party," he said.
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 throughout Zimbabwe before deciding to run. Despite economic turmoil, 83-year-old Mugabe is expected to defeat the divided opposition, although it is not yet clear how much support Makoni will receive.
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.
