‘ED plans to avoid election contest with Chamisa, form govt with Mwonzora’

The ruling Zanu PF party is considering plans to completely avoid going to elections with its biggest rival the MDC Alliance by forming a government of national unity with the smaller MDC-T party led by Douglas Mwonzora.

Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu said his party only recognises members of the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) and hinted at plans to form a government of national unity withMwonzora’s MDC-T.

A coalition government could signal intentions to avoid an election contest with Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance if past attempts anything to go by.

Mpofu said he did not dispute Afrobarometer’s survey report, which revealed that the majority of Zimbabwean were preferring a coalition government to elections. He added that his party does not recognise Chamisa as the leader of the main opposition.

“While I may not dispute the findings of the survey on the position of our supporters on coalition government, our party does not recognise the so-called opposition party led by Chamisa.

“We recognise the one led by Douglas Mwonzora, which is also supported by the dictates of the Constitution because it is the opposition with the highest representation in Parliament after Zanu PF,” he said.

Mpofu added that coalition governance was a product of certain processes which should be taken into consideration and the ruling party was open for dialogue.

“Zanu PF has always been open for dialogue and those parties which are earnest in addressing the socio-political problems which are affecting the country have heeded to the call.

“This resulted in the formation of the Polad where leaders of political parties discuss issues which relate to the type of government they want. Zanu PF is the major political party in the country with the majority in parliamentary representation,” he said.

Zanu PF has since revealed that if the coalition government is to be formed, it will be backed by the fundamentals of Polad, a group of small political parties that failed to garner more than 4% votes during the last election.

Chamisa refused to join it accusing Mnangagwa of being a rigger and an illegitimate leader.

Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda said the MDC Alliance leader was always open for unity but not on the basis of Polad.

“President Chamisa has always been preaching the same gospel of unity.

“He wants a unified nation, just like his supporters do. But there is a difference between a genuine coalition and a bastardised one which we have in the country where a political party Zanu PF is dominating the so-called Polad just to further its interests to ensure a one-party State.

“Therefore, we are in agreement with our supporters who are opting for a coalition government because they are peace-loving, conforming to the party’s position, but we need political reforms for a level political ground to enhance democracy,” Sibanda said. Nehanda Radio