Makoni. once a top lieutenant

HARARE – Simba Makoni, once one of President Robert Mugabe’s top lieutenants, spent years fuming on the sidelines over the collapse of Zimbabwe’s economy before offering himself as its saviour.

Since Makoni quit as finance minister in 2002, Zimbabwe has been sliding deeper into a morass. While other members of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) preferred not to speak out, Makoni demonstrated his independent streak and managed to remain a member of the party’s politburo.Makoni, 58, has escaped accusations of corruption which have bedevilled most of Mugabe’s inner circle.In an interview with AFP, he described Mugabe as “someone who has a very special place in our history” and rejected talk of a backlash if he were to be ousted.Instead Makoni has trained his sights on Mugabe’s handling of the economy, with even basic commodities such as bread and cooking oil now hard to come by.Makoni is running on the platform of “economic revival, re-engagement, reconciliation and national unity”..Born Simbarashe Herbert Stanley Makoni in the eastern Rusape district on March 22, 1950, he was expelled from high school for political activism.He went on to complete his secondary education and enrolled at the University of Rhodesia at a time of time of high political activity at the campus.He proceeded to Leeds University in England where he obtained a degree in chemistry and zoology.Between 1977 and 1980, Makoni was the chief representative in western Europe of the Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu) which was waging a liberation war against Smith’s regime.Nampa-AFPWhile other members of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) preferred not to speak out, Makoni demonstrated his independent streak and managed to remain a member of the party’s politburo.Makoni, 58, has escaped accusations of corruption which have bedevilled most of Mugabe’s inner circle.In an interview with AFP, he described Mugabe as “someone who has a very special place in our history” and rejected talk of a backlash if he were to be ousted.Instead Makoni has trained his sights on Mugabe’s handling of the economy, with even basic commodities such as bread and cooking oil now hard to come by.Makoni is running on the platform of “economic revival, re-engagement, reconciliation and national unity”..Born Simbarashe Herbert Stanley Makoni in the eastern Rusape district on March 22, 1950, he was expelled from high school for political activism.He went on to complete his secondary education and enrolled at the University of Rhodesia at a time of time of high political activity at the campus.He proceeded to Leeds University in England where he obtained a degree in chemistry and zoology.Between 1977 and 1980, Makoni was the chief representative in western Europe of the Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu) which was waging a liberation war against Smith’s regime.Nampa-AFP