Zimpapers Logo

Bulawayo Bureau
The coalition of opposition parties against the ruling Zanu-PF in the 2018 elections is reportedly in limbo as the MDC-T and Zimbabwe People First parties are non-committal towards the collective effort. Zanu-PF swept the 2013 harmonised elections leaving all opposition parties in a chaotic state and some on the brink of collapse. The ruling party has consolidated its dominance by winning all national assembly by-elections since the 2013 polls in filling vacant seats left by Zanu-PF and MDC-T legislators, either by expulsion or death.

Sources close to the coalition negotiations have revealed that about nine smaller parties including the Professor Welshman Ncube-led MDC and the Tendai Biti-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are in possession of the coalition proposal document waiting for a signing ceremony. The document, according to sources, should be signed before the end of this month.

However, MDC-T and ZimPF are reportedly not in possession of the document as they were not part of the coalition negotiations amid frantic efforts by the smaller parties to get them on board. With the resistance to the coalition from Tsvangirai’s party and Mujuru’s fence sitting tactics, the coalition, according to sources, is likely to suffer a still birth.

MDC-T spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu on Friday said he was not aware of the coalition document.

“I’m hearing this for the first time,” he said. Pressed on whether they party had changed its stance on a coalition, Mr Gutu said: “Let me repeat what I’ve always said. At the right moment in time, at the opportune moment, you the media will be the first to know.”

ZimPF spokesperson Mr Methuseli Moyo also professed ignorance over the document adding that he wasn’t in a position to comment on the coalition negotiations.

However, sources insisted that all the other parties have the coalition document save for MDC-T and ZimPF.

MDC-T sources said the party had chosen to concentrate on planned demonstrations around the country whose numbers they want to use to bargain in the coalition.

“After the Harare demonstrations, there was a feeling in the party that we hold demonstrations in other provinces to gauge the party’s numbers. The demonstrations will show who among the parties has the highest following and when negotiations are made, parties will be asked to put what they have on the table,” said the source.

Already, there are divisions within Tsvangirai’s national executive with some members opposed to the idea of a coalition. The MDC-T’s secretary for local governance and Bulawayo South legislator, Mr Eddie Cross, is on record as saying the majority of the party is against a coalition.

The party’s secretary general, Mr Douglas Mwonzora, also said the MDC-T had taken a step back from coalition negotiations to go it alone. The Joice Mujuru-led ZimPF has been accused of sitting on the fence over the coalition.

“The feeling is that ZimPF still wants to test its popularity first before the coalition,” said another source.

“The other thing with ZimPF is that there was an expectation that suspended members of Zanu-PF censured for being part of Mujuru’s grouping at the time of her expulsion would jump ship, but contrary to expectation, they have remained in Zanu-PF. Some of the censured ones have even appealed against their suspensions.”

MDC spokesperson Mr Kurauone Chihwayi said: “I can’t deny or confirm the existence of such a document. What I know is that people are bilaterally and multilaterally talking. I’m not aware of the numbers or characters involved, but what is correct is that the MDC is not in coalition talks with anyone at the moment.”