Leaders of Zapu, MDC and Mavambo-Kusile have ruled out any possibilities of forming an electoral pact with the MDC-T to oust Zanu-PF in the forthcoming general elections. The leaders said this in response to statements by MDC-T secretary general Mr Tendai Biti said only a “determined” coalition of opposition leaders would unseat President Robert Mugabe next year. Presenting a lecture in Manchester, England last Friday, Mr Biti cited the three as political leaders who could defeat President Mugabe if they formed an electoral pact.
In separate interviews yesterday, Dr Dumiso Dabengwa (Zapu), Professor Welshman Ncube (MDC) and Dr Simba Makoni (Mavambo-Kusile) all concurred that they would never form a pact with the MDC-T. Prof Ncube described the Morgan Tsvangirai led party as an “insincere” political outfit. The two MDC formations tried forming a coalition ahead of the 2008 harmonised elections but the talks collapsed after disagreements in the distribution of parliamentary seats.
Mr Biti, who advocated for the re-unification of the formations, said while it was difficult for the political parties to unite again, the MDC-T was eyeing an electoral pact with other political parties.
“I think it was a disaster, and to prove that those of us who were preaching unity were vindicated, the presidential run-off election was caused by the nine percent that we theoretically lost to Simba Makoni.”
“I pray that there will be maturity at the relevant time not for the reunification of the parties . . . I think that will never happen, but for some kind of electoral pact.
“I hope the leaders of all the democracy loving political parties in Zimbabwe – Simba Makoni, Dumiso Dabengwa, Welshman Ncube, Morgan Tsvangirai and others – will come together for some kind of pact . . . ,”Mr Biti said.
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Zimbabwe: Zapu, MDC, Mavambo Say No to Electoral Pact With MDC-T