Two former MDC Alliance (MDC-A) top officials Lilian Timveous and Blessing Chebundo, both from the Midlands Province, have crossed the floor to join the ruling ZANU PF party.
The two met President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House this Wednesday, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba has confirmed.
The two were accompanied to State House by ZANU PF Midlands provincial chairman Mackenzie Ncube, and Minister of State for Midlands Province, Larry Mavima. Charamba said in a Twitter post:
BREAKING NEWS: Two former MDC Alliance key members, Senator Lilian Timveous and Cde Blessing Chebundo have crossed the floor to join the ruling Zanu-PF party. They have just met with the President and First Secretary, Cde ED Mnangagwa, at State House.
The President received the newest members in the company of Vice President Chiwenga and Chairman Muchinguri-Kashiri.
Chairman of Midlands Province, Cde Mackenzie Ncube, and Minister of State for Midlands Province, Cde Larry Mavhima, accompanied the ex-MDC-A members.
Cde Blessing Chebundo had since left MDC-A to join MDC-T now led by Senator Douglas Mwonzora.
Both figures opined that they found it futile to continue with negative opposition for the sake of opposition instead of joining hands with the rest of the country to support Vision 2030.
Chebundo famously defeated Mnangagwa, who was then an aspiring MP, in the 2000 and 2005 general elections, winning the Kwekwe Central seat despite threats to his life.
Timveous contested for the MDC Alliance vice presidency at the party’s congress held in Gweru in 2019 but lost to Tendai Biti, Lynette Kore and Welshman Ncube.