News / National
Mnangagwa in limbo, MDC Alliance rules coalition with him
09 Nov 2017 at 07:37hrs | Views
THE Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC Alliance yesterday ruled out chances of entering into a coalition with President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF or axed Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, as that would give the ruling party another undeserved lease of life.
"The last time that we were persuaded by that sort of thinking, we went into the inclusive government because we believed Zimbabwe was on the precipice," the alliance's spokesperson Welshman Ncube said.
"As soon as Robert Mugabe felt comfortable enough, he literally used the F-word against us and the lesson we draw from that is when it is time for the sovereign people of Zimbabwe to exercise their right, they should be allowed to exercise their right in peaceful circumstances, so that it is their decision which determines the direction of the country (and) not our conversations in some boardroom. We will be very reluctant to be, once again, seduced by the allure of a short-term solution.
"An eighth or ninth shoulder on the wheel is welcome and will be welcome and at any time, conditionally or unconditionally, but we are not at this moment having any conversation with the Lacoste team."
Another coalition partner, Agrippa Mutambara (ZimPF), said Mnangagwa should reform first before he could be considered to join the opposition parties' alliance.
"There have been no overtures now that Mnangagwa comes on board. If he wants to join us, the alliance, he will come through a political party and if not, we do have to consider the background of where he is coming from, whether he has reformed his thinking. He might be a liability, so we have to look at all those," he said.
"The last time that we were persuaded by that sort of thinking, we went into the inclusive government because we believed Zimbabwe was on the precipice," the alliance's spokesperson Welshman Ncube said.
"As soon as Robert Mugabe felt comfortable enough, he literally used the F-word against us and the lesson we draw from that is when it is time for the sovereign people of Zimbabwe to exercise their right, they should be allowed to exercise their right in peaceful circumstances, so that it is their decision which determines the direction of the country (and) not our conversations in some boardroom. We will be very reluctant to be, once again, seduced by the allure of a short-term solution.
Another coalition partner, Agrippa Mutambara (ZimPF), said Mnangagwa should reform first before he could be considered to join the opposition parties' alliance.
"There have been no overtures now that Mnangagwa comes on board. If he wants to join us, the alliance, he will come through a political party and if not, we do have to consider the background of where he is coming from, whether he has reformed his thinking. He might be a liability, so we have to look at all those," he said.
Source - newsday
