News / National
Zimbabwe opposition can go hang, says Zanu-PF
20 Nov 2017 at 06:26hrs | Views
THE ruling Zanu-PF party has ruled forming a second government of national unity with the opposition should President Robert Mugabe be forced out of office, NewZimbabwe.com reported.
But that was before the veteran leader pulled a shocker by declaring in a live television address that he was still in charge of the country and the party.
Speaking after a central committee meeting in Harare which deposed Mugabe as party leader and replaced him with former vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa, senior party officials said there was no prospect of a coalition government with rivals.
Not a chance, retorted cabinet ministers and senior Zanu-PF officials Patrick Chinamasa and Jorum Gumbo after Sunday's ruling party meeting.
"What happened today has nothing to do with the opposition, it has nothing to do with the national government and we are cleansing our own party," said Chinamasa.
"We are correcting our own mess. We have the majority in Parliament; we can expel the President alone and we are the ruling party. So, where does a coalition come in?
"We do not need them (opposition). The removal of Mugabe and his cabal was to enable us to go to elections as a strong force after some rogue elements had infiltrated the party."
Gumbo added: "There is no crisis in Zanu-PF. We are in the majority. We are working to go into an election.
"There is no need to into that arrangement of going into a government of national unity. We have just cleansed our party, correcting and pacifying ourselves.
"As the leadership of the party, so there is no need of a government of national unity. If you are in opposition, let us work together as one.
"We as Zanu-PF will continue to run the country as we have been doing."
They were speaking before President Mugabe's national address later in which he made no reference to his removal as Zanu-PF leader and demands that he resign as state president.
Mugabe indicated that he remained in power, vowing to chair ruling party congress scheduled for next month.
However, those who fired him Sunday said impeachment proceedings would begin starting this Monday.
But that was before the veteran leader pulled a shocker by declaring in a live television address that he was still in charge of the country and the party.
Speaking after a central committee meeting in Harare which deposed Mugabe as party leader and replaced him with former vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa, senior party officials said there was no prospect of a coalition government with rivals.
Not a chance, retorted cabinet ministers and senior Zanu-PF officials Patrick Chinamasa and Jorum Gumbo after Sunday's ruling party meeting.
"What happened today has nothing to do with the opposition, it has nothing to do with the national government and we are cleansing our own party," said Chinamasa.
"We are correcting our own mess. We have the majority in Parliament; we can expel the President alone and we are the ruling party. So, where does a coalition come in?
"We do not need them (opposition). The removal of Mugabe and his cabal was to enable us to go to elections as a strong force after some rogue elements had infiltrated the party."
"There is no need to into that arrangement of going into a government of national unity. We have just cleansed our party, correcting and pacifying ourselves.
"As the leadership of the party, so there is no need of a government of national unity. If you are in opposition, let us work together as one.
"We as Zanu-PF will continue to run the country as we have been doing."
They were speaking before President Mugabe's national address later in which he made no reference to his removal as Zanu-PF leader and demands that he resign as state president.
Mugabe indicated that he remained in power, vowing to chair ruling party congress scheduled for next month.
However, those who fired him Sunday said impeachment proceedings would begin starting this Monday.
Source - newzimbabwe
