News / National
MDC Alliance captures Zapu
19 Oct 2017 at 06:39hrs | Views
DUMISO Dabengwa's Zapu has called on all opposition parties to form a single coalition group as they mount a challenge against Zanu-PF in the 2018 elections, giving a clear indication that the party was warming up to the idea of joining the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC Alliance.
The party's national people's council (NPC) met in Bulawayo on Saturday and resolved to advocate for a single coalition pact involving all opposition parties to avoid splitting votes in Zanu-PF's favour.
The latest resolution contradicted the party's earlier decision to enter into a Matabeleland regional coalition deal with Joice Mujuru's National Peoples' Party (NPP) and a splinter group of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) led by secretary-general Gorden Moyo.
The three parties had refused to be party of the seven-party MDC Alliance and instead elected to form their own separate pact under the Coalition of Democrats (Code).
"On the subject of coalition, the NPC reiterated on the importance of coalescing especially for the coming elections as dictated by political dynamics currently obtaining in the country," Zapu deputy spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa said yesterday.
"As such, the NPC resolved that the party's national executive continue dialoguing with all like-minded democratic forces in our bid to play our part in building a sound and formidable coalition.
"The NPC also resolved that Zapu should keep all communication lines open in as far as coalitions are concerned. The national executive was further mandated to consider all possible relationships with all like-minded organisations in pursuit of a single formidable coalition for the 2018 plebiscite."
President Robert Mugabe has scoffed at the opposition coalitions, describing the deals as dead in the water.
Mugabe and Zanu-PF youth league leader Kudzanayi Chipanga have instead said the ruling party had already won the 2018 elections, adding next year's polls would only be just to confirm the figures.
Maphosa said Zapu's NPC also resolved to push the Code members to negotiate for a single alliance with other parties ahead of the polls.
"In the same breath, the NPC of the mother party resolved to drive Code into dialogue and negotiate with other parties and coalitions so as to build one strong and formidable coalition to face Zanu-PF next year," he said.
The party's national people's council (NPC) met in Bulawayo on Saturday and resolved to advocate for a single coalition pact involving all opposition parties to avoid splitting votes in Zanu-PF's favour.
The latest resolution contradicted the party's earlier decision to enter into a Matabeleland regional coalition deal with Joice Mujuru's National Peoples' Party (NPP) and a splinter group of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) led by secretary-general Gorden Moyo.
The three parties had refused to be party of the seven-party MDC Alliance and instead elected to form their own separate pact under the Coalition of Democrats (Code).
"On the subject of coalition, the NPC reiterated on the importance of coalescing especially for the coming elections as dictated by political dynamics currently obtaining in the country," Zapu deputy spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa said yesterday.
"As such, the NPC resolved that the party's national executive continue dialoguing with all like-minded democratic forces in our bid to play our part in building a sound and formidable coalition.
"The NPC also resolved that Zapu should keep all communication lines open in as far as coalitions are concerned. The national executive was further mandated to consider all possible relationships with all like-minded organisations in pursuit of a single formidable coalition for the 2018 plebiscite."
President Robert Mugabe has scoffed at the opposition coalitions, describing the deals as dead in the water.
Mugabe and Zanu-PF youth league leader Kudzanayi Chipanga have instead said the ruling party had already won the 2018 elections, adding next year's polls would only be just to confirm the figures.
Maphosa said Zapu's NPC also resolved to push the Code members to negotiate for a single alliance with other parties ahead of the polls.
"In the same breath, the NPC of the mother party resolved to drive Code into dialogue and negotiate with other parties and coalitions so as to build one strong and formidable coalition to face Zanu-PF next year," he said.
Source - newsday
