Follow your sheep, Mwonzora tells Biti

By Farayi Machamire

MDC secretary general, Douglas Mwonzora, has told People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Tendai Biti, to “follow his sheep” after more members of his party defected over the weekend.

Biti’s party members defected to the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC.

PDP activists — Don Mavhudzi and Brian Kanzunzuma — turned up at an MDC rally on Sunday announcing they had made the decision to cross the floor.

Mwonzora said the continued defections by PDP members to the MDC were proof that the party was more “credible” and the only plausible route to eclipse President Robert Mugabe in the approaching 2018 elections.

“We have had several members of other parties, including Zanu PF, who have defected to the MDC. We are welcoming them back,” Mwonzora said while addressing a rally in Msasa on Sunday.

“I also want to give this message to my friend. He knows himself. We went to school together,” he said in clear reference to Biti.

“You left the party but your sheep have seen the light and are now flocking back home. My friend, follow your sheep. We will welcome you back,” Mwonzora said.

In recent days, PDP has lost the party’s vice president Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, deputy national chairman Watchy Sibanda and deputy secretary-general Tongai Matutu.

Other former PDP bigwigs that have left the party include former deputy organising secretary Gift Mabhena and Gladys Mathe.

On his part, Biti is on record saying he will “never” re-join MDC.

In reaction to the defections, Biti said what Zimbabwe needs is a “strong converged opposition and not another large awkward Zanu (PF) oligopoly infiltrated by pseudo democrats”.

He added that although PDP was disappointed to have “lost courageous and esteemed comrades”, the embattled party would not hold their decision to dump those against them.

The former Finance minister said “the biggest enemy of democracy was Zanu PF which was plotting how to make Zimbabweans suffer more” and “it needed to be fought by a coalition as it would never reform itself out of power”. Daily News