Opposition leader who received Isuzu 4×4 from ED forms new coalition

A Gweru based economist turned opposition leader who received an Isuzu 4×4 vehicle from President Emmerson Mnangagwa in July 2021 as part of POLAD, is now leading a coalition of six opposition parties that will contest in harmonized elections this year.

Trust Chikohora, the leader of the opposition Coalition for Democrats (CODE), will now lead the Zimbabwe Coalition for Peace and Development which has since registered with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

In a letter dated 18 March 2023, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) acting Chief Elections Officer Jane Chigidji confirmed the registration of the ZCPD.

“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission acknowledges receipt of your coalition profile documents, the contents of which have been noted,” she wrote to ZCPD secretary general Reverend Everisto Washington Chikanga.

“Your organization has been included on ZEC’s stakeholder database and mailing list for notification when appropriate meetings that require your attention arise.”

ZCPD was launched in the capital last Thursday.

Addressing the media at the official launch, Chikohora urged other political players to join their coalition.

“We believe that these challenges will only be solved sustainably if we come together as Zimbabweans to find each other and build our country together as a united people,” he said.

“Consequently, we take this opportunity to invite other like-minded Political Parties both within POLAD and outside POLAD as well as Civic Society Organizations and individuals to come and work with us in this coalition to build the Zimbabwe we all want!”

Chikohora and other leaders of the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD), a group of losing parties from the 2018 elections, were given Isuzu vehicles by Mnangagwa in July 2021.

ZANU PF’s representative in POLAD, Partick Chinamasa, who is also a former Finance Minister, received an Isuzu vehicle at State House along with Chikohora and National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) presidential candidate in the 2018 elections, Lovemore Madhuku.