Lack of unity 'scuppers' opposition deal

AS THE clock ticks towards the much-anticipated 2018 elections - the country's opposition is finding it hard to unite and form a grand coalition - a situation which MDC Alliance spokesperson Welshman Ncube says could put paid their hopes of winning the crucial polls.

The deeply-divided opposition has three alliances which analysts say reduce their chances of beating President Robert Mugabe and his warring Zanu-PF in next year's elections.
Former prime minister in the inclusive government, Morgan Tsvangirai is leading the MDC Alliance while his ex-treasurer Elton Mangoma is at the helm of Coalition for Democrats (Code).
Former vice president Joice Mujuru, who signed a memorandum of understanding with Tsvangirai mid this year, recently assumed leadership of the Peoples' Rainbow Coalition (PRC) - further raising question marks over the envisaged grand coalition.
"There are questions that we still meet on the ground as an alliance, questions relating to cohesion of the opposition and questions relating to unity.
"It is ironic that perhaps the more marginalised areas in this country, which are in need of more and greater unity than others, need to work together if they are indeed to overcome that marginalisation.
"(People's Democratic Party {PDP} leader Tendai) Biti always says, unity must never be the cause of disunity but in reality this is so much happening in all our political parties, more so in others," Ncube told Southern News.
"Disunity being born out of struggles around trying to build a united opposition. I hope that those which are academics and intellectuals at universities will analyse for us as we go along as well as historically why it is that so many among us, so many who profess to desire change, so many who say one more day is a day too long under the rule of Zanu-PF and yet spend so much time fighting against unity," he added.
Political analysts have cited personal egos among opposition leaders as the reason for lack of unity.
The proposed grand coalition has hit headwinds as opposition leaders haggle over who should lead the electoral alliance.
Mujuru, on numerous occasions has punted herself to lead the coalition while on the other hand, Tsvangirai has acted in a manner that suggests him and the MDC hold sway to who should be in the alliance.
As a result, Tsvangirai launched the MDC Alliance together with various other opposition parties at the Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield, Harare, on August 5.
Among the signatories to the pact are Biti's PDP; the MDC led by Ncube; Transform Zimbabwe headed by Jacob Ngarivhume; Zanu Ndonga headed by Denford Masiyarira; and the Multi-Racial Christian Democrats led by Mathias Guchutu.
Both Biti and Ncube are former secretaries-general of the main MDC.
Mujuru stayed out of the MDC Alliance and instead, launched the PRC last month with little-known opposition parties.
Analysts have consistently said a united opposition stands a chance of finally defeating Mugabe and Zanu-PF in the eagerly-anticipated polls.