MDC organising secretary and former Harare mayor, Elias Mudzuri turned down a lucrative offer by Mugabe, who wanted him to join the ruling ZANU PF party, The Zimbabwe Gazette has established.

Elias Mudzuri

Mudzuri, who was recently elected Member of Parliament for Warren Park Constituency, is said to have refused to take up the farm insisting his heart is with the Morgan Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

A source said before the March 29 elections, Mudzuri spent a lot of time in Warren Park campaigning and enjoying a couple of drinks with his supporters and friends.

“It is one day, last week at Chillers Sports Bar at Mereki, when he suddenly told his supporters about what ZANU PF offered him.”

In March 2002, Mudzuri was elected to a four-year term as Mayor of Harare. He trained in Sierre Leone as a civil engineer, and is a Fellow of the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers. Before becoming mayor, he had worked in local government for fourteen years.

As Mayor, his work was evident in the city as roads were being repaired and garbage being collected, among other things.

The source said people were all over Mudzuri, with some buying him one or two pints to show him their support.

“He said he told ZANU PF he would not join a corrupt and failing party, of which the MDC had proved to be a great challenge prompting ZANU PF to resort to ‘dirty’ moves such as beating up and harassing MDC party members and supporters.”

“The ex-Mayor said he added there was great future in the MDC than ZANU PF,” he said.

Almost immediately after Mudzuri was elected to be Mayor, a power struggle between Minister of Local Government, Ignatius Chombo and Mudzuri ensued. Chombo blocked badly needed funds for local improvements and development. In 2003, ZANU PF ensued police assaulted and arrested Mudzuri while he met with Harare residents.

The source adds Mudzuri did not however, indicate when Mugabe gave him the offer and where this took place.

“People showered the ex-mayor with praises, especially for refusing the farm. In a nutshell, they said he is loyal and honest.”

This year, in January, Mudzuri was among many party members and supporters arrested during the MDC organised Freedom march, after defying orders by the police to stop the march.

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