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Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
ZANU PF’s progressive development policies that resonate with the public and the party’s open door policy is attracting hordes of former MDC legislators who want to be part of the winning team.

President Mnangagwa yesterday capped another busy day in office by welcoming two former MDC heavyweights, who include the party’s founding member Mr James Makore at the State House amid indications that more are on their way.

Mr Makore, along with the MDC former spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu are the latest, in the growing line of former opposition figures, who have decided to join the governing party.

The decision by the duo follows the defection to the ruling party of other former MDC-T legislators, Ms Lillian Timveous and Mr Blessing Chebundo nearly two weeks ago.

Another former MDC-T legislator Mr Tongai Matutu defected last year.

The duo met the President in a meeting that was also attended by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Zanu PF National Chairman, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, the ruling party’s Secretary for Security Cde Lovemore Matuke and Masvingo provincial chairman Cde Ezra Chadzamira.

Addressing the media after the meeting, President Mnangagwa said the former MDC officials voluntarily joined the party.

“These are senior members of the MDC and they have decided individually to come back home. In fact, I should mention that with regards to Cde Makore, he was at the beginning, in the early 60s and 70s, in the national movement with us.

“So he has come back home and he said ‘I feel at home ideologically in Zanu PF and want to come back and contribute to the reconstruction of the country’,” President Mnangagwa said.

The President said Cde Gutu had felt his heart was with the ruling party.

“Obert is a young man. He said he has a conscience and he slept over his conscience and came to the conclusion that this party that he was in would not give him satisfaction for the purposes of revolutionarily contributing to the construction, growth and modernisation of Zimbabwe and charting the destination of the people of this country,”   he added.

Cde Gutu said he had been welcomed warmly by the President and other officials.

“We feel we are here to contribute to the development of the country. Speaking entirely for myself, I am not position-oriented. I know some people will say Gutu wants this post or that post, that’s far from it.

“We are here to play our part albeit a small part for the development of this country and the Vision which the Second Republic has fashioned for this country, Vision 2030 which is achievable with the right mindset and skills set,” he said.

Senator Makore echoed similar sentiments saying he had returned home.

“We do feel we have to contribute to the economy, we can’t consistently fight without producing any tangible result for the economy and by and large we can be a cog in national development,” he said.

Cde Gutu once served as Deputy Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs during the inclusive Government (2009-2013).

He assumed the vice presidency of the MDC-T following the split that occurred when Mr Morgan Tsvangirai died, deputising the  MDC-T then led by Ms Thokozani Khupe.

Cde Makore was an MDC-T Senator for Chitungwiza.