[3] He told reporters, flanked by Ibbo Mandaza and Retired Major Kudzai Mbudzi:[4] "Following very extensive and intensive consultations with party members and activists countrywide, and also with others outside the party, I have accepted the call and hereby advise the people of Zimbabwe that I offer myself as candidate for the office of president...I share the agony and anguish of all citizens over the extreme hardships that we all have endured for nearly 10 years now...I also share the widely held view that these hardships are a result of failure of national leadership and that change at that level is a pre-requisite for change at other levels of national endeavour.

Joseph Chinotimba, a notorious war veteran who led the violent invasions of white owned farms in 2000, threatened Makoni with violence following the announcement of his candidature.

The Herald newspaper denounced Makoni as being a pawn of the United Kingdom whose candidacy was being used in hopes of splitting the ZANU-PF vote so that Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) could win the election.

[13] At the opening of Makoni's campaign on 29 February, former Interior Minister Dumiso Dabengwa and former Speaker of Parliament Cyril Ndebele were present to support him.

[14] Also present at White City hall where Makoni launched his campaign was Edgar Tekere who vowed to de-campaign Mugabe until election time.