By Nyashadzashe Ndoro
Former MDC-T vice president Obert Gutu on Monday dumped the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) platform, claiming it needed repackaging and rebranding. Only last month, Gutu resigned from the Thokozani Khupe-led party, citing “personal and private” reasons.
On his microblogging Twitter handle yesterday, Gutu said his resignation from MDC-T meant he was no longer a part of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Polad.
“There is some confusion regarding my continued membership of Polad.
“I would like to put the record straight that I am no longer a member of Polad.
“Accordingly, I am (no longer) associated with Polad in any manner or form.
“Kindly be advised accordingly.
“I resigned from the MDC-T under whose umbrella I was a deployee in Polad.
“After resigning from the MDC-T, I ceased to be a Polad member,” Gutu said.
The former Justice minister in the Government of National Unity, however, still maintains a glimmer of confidence in Polad, intimating that it needs overhauling.
“I honestly do not know; I am not a prophet and I cannot prophesy (as to the) future.
“But on record, I am stating that Polad must be repackaged and rebranded.
“I still stand by that submission,” Gutu said.
There is speculation in political circles that Gutu is preparing to accept a high profile job in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s under-pressure government.
Last week the main opposition MDC Deputy National Spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka slammed what he called the “POLAD comedians” for wanting to “spend millions of scarce foreign currency visiting global capitals on a purported international re-engagement drive.”
“Zimbabwe’s economy is sinking to plumbing depths, with the country’s hospitals and clinics without basics such as gloves, bandages and painkillers.
“It is unfathomable that POLAD comedians could spend US$4, 5 million in scarce for-ex on useless trips to Brussels, Washington, London and Paris while innocent Zimbabweans are dying at home.
“That money would have been put to better use if it had been used to procure basics for the country’s major referral hospitals or importing food for the starving millions,” Tamborinyoka said.
Meanwhile Walter Mzembi, leader of the newly formed political party, The People’s Party, said there was need for a strong political party in Zimbabwe that has the capacity to defray manipulation of other parties by Zanu PF.
The former Tourism minister said his party had the wherewithal to provide the solution the country needed going forward.
“Zimbabwe has 130 plus registered political parties; 23 that participated in 2018 and now employed as Polad.
“Zimbabwe just needs a credible party to disrupt the two-party-system (currently in place) so Zimbabwe can move away from (this) blackmail.
“You assume they will be around to give me a chance; Ian Smith of the ‘not-in-a-thousand-years’ fame ate his words as he watched “terrorists and criminals” he wanted to jail romp to victory in 1980,” Mzembi added. Nehanda Radio
