News / National
ZimPF command members to embrace coalition
04 Aug 2017 at 04:45hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE People First (ZimPF) interim president Agrippa Mutambara has directed party structures to embrace a proposed alliance of opposition parties, which is set to be officially launched tomorrow.
This came amid reports that MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and other opposition parties such as MDC, People's Democratic Party, Zanu Ndonga and Transform Zimbabwe will unveil their alliance in Harare tomorrow in preparation for next year's general elections.
In an internal memo directed to ZimPF provincial structures, Mutambara said ZimPF could not be left out and called on party members to embrace the alliance despite murmurs of disapproval from another faction led by elders Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa.
Mutambara said the ZimPF steering committee and provincial councils recently held an extraordinary meeting to deliberate on joining the alliance, and nine out of 10 provinces endorsed the proposed pact.
"Given this background, I now urge those who had opposed the idea to submit themselves to the wish of the majority," he said.
Mutambara was elected ZimPF interim leader after former Vice-President Joice Mujuru pulled out of the opposition party early this year and formed her own National People's Party.
Mujuru's party has curiously been left out of the Tsvangirai-led coalition deal.
"We are now going to join the alliance and I urge all those who can, using own resources, to attend this (Saturday's) historic occasion," Mutambara said.
"It is desirable that all national members and provincial councils, together with representatives from their respective provinces, attend this historic and auspicious occasion.
"All ZimPF attendees should wear party regalia. Details of the programme will be released on Friday (today)."
Mutambara recently told NewsDay that only a united front of opposition parties stands a chance against President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF, adding efforts aimed at bringing mainstream and fringe parties together should be speeded up as time was fast running out for the parties to prepare for the upcoming general elections.
This came amid reports that MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and other opposition parties such as MDC, People's Democratic Party, Zanu Ndonga and Transform Zimbabwe will unveil their alliance in Harare tomorrow in preparation for next year's general elections.
In an internal memo directed to ZimPF provincial structures, Mutambara said ZimPF could not be left out and called on party members to embrace the alliance despite murmurs of disapproval from another faction led by elders Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa.
Mutambara said the ZimPF steering committee and provincial councils recently held an extraordinary meeting to deliberate on joining the alliance, and nine out of 10 provinces endorsed the proposed pact.
"Given this background, I now urge those who had opposed the idea to submit themselves to the wish of the majority," he said.
Mujuru's party has curiously been left out of the Tsvangirai-led coalition deal.
"We are now going to join the alliance and I urge all those who can, using own resources, to attend this (Saturday's) historic occasion," Mutambara said.
"It is desirable that all national members and provincial councils, together with representatives from their respective provinces, attend this historic and auspicious occasion.
"All ZimPF attendees should wear party regalia. Details of the programme will be released on Friday (today)."
Mutambara recently told NewsDay that only a united front of opposition parties stands a chance against President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF, adding efforts aimed at bringing mainstream and fringe parties together should be speeded up as time was fast running out for the parties to prepare for the upcoming general elections.
Source - newsday
