Ncube turns to farming after election disaster

By Thulani Ncube

BULAWAYO – The smaller faction of the MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube has described as “hogwash and baseless” reports by a local paper that its leader has turned to farming “after dismally losing the July 31 elections.”

A controversial election marred by claims of vote rigging and manipulation of the voters’ roll saw President Robert Mugabe winning 61 percent of the presidential vote, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai 34 percent and Ncube a meagre 2,6 percent. Zanu PF also swept to a two-thirds majority in parliament.

It’s claimed Ncube has abandoned his party and is spending a lot of time on his farm in Lower Gweru. His regular postings on social media have stopped since the election defeat and efforts to contact him are said to be futile as he no longer picks up his phone or responds to messages sent to him on social media.

Ncube MDC deputy spokesman Kurauone Chihwayi is quoted saying the claims are “hogwash and baseless,” and that “Prof Ncube is available and accessible. He has been in and out of the country on party business.”

Pressed by the Daily News newspaper to reveal the whereabouts of Ncube, Chihwayi said: “It is none of your business to know every move that Ncube makes. He is around the country and meeting up with the people.”

The paper quoted another party source saying “The reason why Ncube is not picking up his phone is that he is at the farm. He will be busy with farm work and has no time to attend to the phone.

“He now spends most of his time at the farm and the network in that area is not good. We have also been trying to contact to him and he has not been taking our calls.”

Only this week another paper NewsDay claimed the Ncube-led MDC has hit financial rock bottom, forcing it to cut back on some of its programmes. The party which failed to win a single contested parliamentary seat is said to have run out of money used in campaigning, leaving it surviving from hand to mouth.