By Fungi Kwaramba
Discussions regarding the long-mooted 2018 elections deal between opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and former vice president Joice Mujuru — which have spooked President Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu PF — have now reached a critical stage, with an announcement to this effect likely to come before the end of this month.
Former Mugabe confidante and State Security minister Didymus Mutasa — who is now a senior member of Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) — expressed satisfaction with both the pace and tempo of the behind-the-scenes discussions, confirming to the Daily News yesterday an announcement in this regard was likely to be made before month end.
“The coalition is going to be there and we are working on that currently. We hope by the end of this month, if we do it correctly, there will be an announcement of a coalition. We are likely to come up with a coalition of 13 political parties all in all,” he said.
The imminent coalition pact involving the two opposition political heavyweights sent shivers down the spines of ruling party bigwigs when they mounted a hugely successful joint demonstration and rally in Gweru on Saturday, as the clock ticks towards the eagerly-anticipated 2018 national elections.
“Today is a historic day to us. It is the day the MDC and ZPF are coming together to fight for our space. We want the people of Zimbabwe to work as one and not be divided. Today we found a way of working together to deal with the issues that are affecting us.
“The MDC and ZPF are like puppies of the same litter but which take different days to start seeing. So, the MDC was the first to see Mugabe’s problems, and you cannot accuse me of having failed to realise them when the MDC did,” Mujuru said as she addressed the Gweru rally.
Describing the development as “heart-warming”, Tsvangirai — who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer — praised Mujuru for joining the MDC in its protests and fighting on the side of the people.
“Did anyone ever dream of Mujuru becoming a part of the opposition? I want to congratulate her together with the ZPF leadership for seeing it necessary for us to have this joint programme.
“It’s not by accident that the MDC and ZPF are here together. We in the MDC respect Mujuru for the contribution she has made to this country. By coming here all we are seeking is a broad consensus for political movements who are committing themselves to a change we have been fighting for. Mujuru is not the enemy.
“I know that there will be a lot of talk, especially from Mugabe because he is afraid of the people, and by the end of the day he will even be afraid of leading Zimbabwe,” Tsvangirai said on his part.
According to sources privy to the proposed coalition deal that includes at least 13 other political parties, the MDC will be given the lion’s share of seats to be contested by the opposition in urban areas — a fact that appeared to be confirmed by Mutasa yesterday.
“We hope come 2018 that opposition parties will come together and find out who is most liked say in Harare. With the MDC winning almost all the seats here, you would require more MDC members to stand in Harare and in most of the major cities.
“All we want is to win the 2018 elections, which will satisfy us. That is why we are saying there is more strength in unity and that is why we are also saying if we put all our brains together we are likely to come out at the top,” Mutasa said, singing Mujuru’s strengths as well.
“Her rallies have been very encouraging. As usual, you start from the bottom and you convince people gradually. We are happy with the current gathering of the people that are coming to Mai Mujuru’s rallies,” he said, adding that Zanu PF was abusing civil servants to block peaceful protests and thus there was an urgent need for electoral reforms in the country.
Turning to the demonstrations and riots that have been rocking the country in the past few months, Mutasa said his erstwhile comrades in Zanu PF were not easily moved by such protestations.
“Telling you the truth I am not very much in favour of demonstrations. It’s just a group of people who will be harassed by the police. I believe in confronting the authorities and telling them what you want,” he said.
But Mutasa also said Mugabe would soon be left with no option but “to come down from his high pedestal and listen to the people because he is compelled by the Constitution to do so”.
Asked by the Daily News whether the country’s security was currently under threat as was being alleged by Zanu PF officials, the former spy minister said: “When you see many people running around, you start to think that they are seeing us in a different way. I cannot categorically say yes, but we are under threat from our own government”.
With the Zanu PF’s ugly factional and succession wars now sucking in the army, which is accused of marching behind embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa in his mooted quests to succeed Mugabe, Mutasa said “soldiers have no place in politics and must be locked in barracks”.
“The army must only defend the country and not be involved in political wrangles, otherwise the concerned military leaders have to leave the army and go and join politics,” he said. Daily News
