'Coalition to challenge Mugabe a sinking ship'

NORTON Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa has described a proposed coalition by opposition political parties to face President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party in the 2018 general elections as a "sinking ship or a child dying in its infancy".

The independent MP told South African television news station, ANN7's Africa Tonight programme early this week that Zimbabwe could only be saved by the emergence of a "Third Force", which he is leading.

"Coalition is a sinking ship because I had hoped that by the end of 2016, the political parties would have agreed on what to do, which constituencies the MPs are going to stand in and go on the ground because 72% of the electorate is rural-based," Mliswa said.

"As a result, 2016 came, it is gone and they have not done anything about it and this is where I am saying the ship has started to sink and I no longer have any confidence with any party whatsoever, including Zanu-PF itself, in being able to move Zimbabwe forward."

Mliswa, buoyed by his victory over Zanu-PF in Norton late last year, is currently calling for applications from Zimbabweans, who want to contest next year's general elections as independent candidates.

The former Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman is on record saying MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai should lead the coalition ahead of Zimbabwe People First leader, Joice Mujuru.

According to Mliswa, the failure by opposition parties to agree and Zanu-PF's miscarriage of its electoral promises had necessitated the rise of the third force to take the country to another level.

Mliswa added that Tsvangirai had no right to claim credit for his electoral victory in Norton, saying he simply won because of his own campaign strategies.