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HARARE – Zimbabwe’s former finance minister and now leader of an opposition party Simba Makoni on Wednesday blasted Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC-T party for cutting all contact with President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF party, saying the move had “nothing to do with delivering real change to the people” of the country.
In a statement, Makoni who is the interim president of Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn (MKD) said the MDC-T and ZANU PF should “stop playing with the people of Zimbabwe over petty positions and power”.
“On careful examination, it emerges that the reasons for the MDC -T disengagement from ZANU PF have nothing to do with delivering real change to the people of Zimbabwe. The fight is about the MDC-T being allowed a bigger share of public sector jobs, motor cars, travel allowances and good living,” Makoni said.

“We urge both Mugabe and Tsvangirai to show genuine concern for the suffering people of Zimbabwe, to apply themselves diligently to resolving their power disputes. We further urge Mugabe, especially, to show that he is committed to genuine partnership and power-sharing with the MDC-T, a party that defeated him in the March 2008 elections.”
Makoni said this would enable the inclusive government to formulate and implement the policies required to create jobs, stimulate economic growth that benefits the people and bring Zimbabwe back into the 21st century.
The MKD leader said the MDC-T’s of “disengagement from ZANU PF” was confusing the people as it was difficult to understand what it entailed.
“The MDC-T can not have their cake and eat it. They say they have “disengaged from ZANU PF” and from Cabinet and yet they are still in the inclusive government, they are still reporting for work and they are still executing their duties as Cabinet ministers?
“So, what exactly is the meaning of their action as announced last Friday, 16 October 2009? Can the Prime Minister clearly spell out to a concerned and confused nation the practical meaning and effect of this action because the people can not see its significance?” said Makoni.
The ex-finance minister said the struggle between Mugabe and Tsvangirai was more to do with power.
“We note with concern that the issues over which the MDC are disengaging from ZANU PF are issues of “jobs for the boys and girls” and not policies that can deliver real change for Zimbabweans,” Makoni said.
“The people want stable and permanent jobs, economic development, repair of dilapidated infrastructure, food, functioning health and education systems and social support networks. The people want their dignity and respect back.”
He said since the MDC-T entered the inclusive government in February it has not put forward policy initiatives aimed at pulling the country out of its economic crisis.
“The modest improvements that have occurred in people’s lives over the past year are the result of the default dollarisation which commenced in early 2008 and was formalised by ZANU PF before the inclusive government,” Makoni added.
Tsvangirai’s MDC party, which formed a unity government with Mugabe’s ZANU PF party, last week announced a partial boycott of the eight-month-old coalition administration because of differences over implementation of the power-sharing pact.

Text: http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=5276