Ex-minister to challenge Mugabe for presidency

A former ruling party loyalist who clashed with President Robert Mugabe over economic policy announced today that he will run against him as an independent in next month’s presidential election, hoping to galvanise others disillusioned with the party.

Former finance minister Simba Makoni, 57, said he decided to run after discussions with members of Mr Mugabe’s ZANU-PF and activists outside the party across the country.

“I won’t be in this campaign alone. There will be many of us, a great many of us,” he told reporters in the capital, Harare.

“I am not an opposition party. I am not standing in the name of any party. I would like to stand as a candidate for ZANU-PF but I cannot.”

Mr Makoni said many ZANU-PF members had hoped that the party’s convention in December was going to usher in a change of leadership.