Zapu moot joining grand coalition

The Dumiso Dabengwa-led Zapu yesterday said it was finalising a key decision to take part in the proposed opposition "Coalition of Democrats."

Dabengwa, who has described a grand coalition as the best way towards establishing a democratic State, was forced to carry out an internal consultation in order to come up with an agreed and informed position regarding the possible union.

"After the proposal was thrown at us, we took it to our 14 provinces for deliberations through provincial council meetings," Patrick Ndlovu, Zapu deputy national spokesperson said.

Zapu has 10 local provinces and four from the Diaspora, which include the United Kingdom, Western Europe, USA and Canada.

"This consultation process began in August and at the beginning of this month, the provinces were handing in their reports. So far we have received eight provinces," Ndlovu said.

Of the eight provinces, Ndlovu said seven voted in favour of the coalition though several issues were highlighted as areas of concern before the commitment.

Dabengwa recently attacked the Sekai-Holland-led renewal team accusing them of negotiating in bad faith by misinforming our members that Zapu was already in it.

Ndlovu said the party will be having its National Executive Council meeting this Saturday where all the provinces are expected to have brought in their reports.

"From the meeting we are set to come up with a collated and comprehensive report on the inputs from the provinces," he said.

"It will then be the duty of the National People's Council to consider which way to go in as far as the coalition is concerned."

This comes at a time the Welshman Ncube-led MDC and Sekai Holland's renewal team yesterday forged a "unity accord".