Prof. Dzinotyiwei joins Tsvangirai MDC

By Lance Guma
28 June 2006

The president of the Zimbabwe Integrated Programme (ZIP) Professor Heneri Dzinotyiwei has decided to join the Tsvangirai led MDC. The renowned mathematician made the announcement Wednesday and says his decision has been influenced by the clear link between the country’s economic decline and its political policies. He told Newsreel, ‘Many of us have been concerned largely with the economic decline…those who have been making efforts towards meaningful change have realized that no progress can be made if the political side is not supportive.’ He says this has left him with no choice but to concentrate on the political side of Zimbabwe’s problems.

Asked why he chose Tsvangirai’s side of the MDC divide, Dzinotyiwei says as far as he is concerned the differences in the MDC exist at leadership level and not within its general membership. He says many of its members have kept the structures intact at both branch and provincial levels. ‘Ordinary members want focus on programmes for change and the differences are not expected to last,’ Dzinotyiwei said. The University of Zimbabwe lecturer has been one of the country’s most prominent political analysts and under his political party ZIP made attempts to influence an integrated approach to the country’s politics. He says ZIP has not folded up but is now operating as a think tank and continues to advocate integration as a basis for governance.

Meanwhile MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa says they welcomed Dzinotyiwei into the fold. He told Newsreel ‘the democratic train had sufficient space for all progressive forces and individuals in the country,’ and that Dinotyiwei was one such individual. He described him as one of Africa’s finest mathematicians and that his entry into the MDC will add weight to the party and increase its momentum towards confronting Mugabe’s regime.