ZimPF blasts opposition MOU

Zimbabwe People First official Mr Rugare Gumbo has blasted the Memorandum of Understanding between the MDC-T and two other opposition parties saying it would fail since it was exclusionary and opportunistic.

The MDC-T entered into separate MoUs with the Dr Joice Mujuru-led National People's Party and Professor Welshman Ncube's MDC.

"To be frank with you, we believe that any MoU on any coalition should not only be about political parties. Any sensible coalition should include war veterans, war collaborators. We can't have a MoU which is selective because it's not about political parties but the people of Zimbabwe," he said.

Mr Gumbo also said coalition parnters had to share the same ideological background if any partnership were to succeed.

Asked whether his party would be ready to work with Dr Mujuru after they sacked her as ZimPF president last year, Mr Gumbo said their focus was on strengthening their party.

"As far as we are concerned what we need to do at the moment is to strengthen our party and focus on what the people of Zimbabwe want," he said. "We are not saying we don't want any coalition but it should be based on principle and not what is happening now which is based on opportunism."

Zanu-PF has since rubbished the MoUs as desperate attempts by the opposition to access Western funding ahead of next year's general elections.