TALK of a possible coalition between main opposition party leader Morgan Tsvangirai and former Vice-President Joice Mujuru has divided the MDC-T’s top leadership with some senior officials yesterday denouncing her as a “politically troubled soul”.
By RICHARD CHIDZA
Addressing an MDC-T feedback rally in Harare yesterday, national youth leader Happymore Chidziva and former Energy minister Ellias Mudzuri described the so-called coalition talks with Mujuru as “a great betrayal of those who died for the democratic struggle”.
This comes shortly after Tsvangirai confirmed that his party was involved in coalition talks with Mujuru to challenge President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF in the 2018 elections as one umbrella.
Tsvangirai made the disclosure during burial of former Masvingo mayor Femius Chakabuda where he warned that the project might be stalled by disagreements over sharing of top posts.
But Chidziva scoffed at talk of a possible coalition.
“As the youth, we are very clear, the MDC-T and Tsvangirai have capacity to take power from Zanu PF alone. We will not support the so-called coalition because we do not need it,” Chidziva said.
“It will be a betrayal of those who died for the democratic struggle if we are to be seen to work together with people who presided over the abuse and killings of our people in Mashonaland Central. It is not going to happen under our watch.”
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Speaking at the same event, Mudzuri said Mujuru “cannot have people harping for her”.
“The Mujuru issue has been blown out of proportion. She has not said anything and remains in hiding, but we have people trying to speak for her. Leave her until such time she is ready to speak for herself. We cannot be seen to be dragging her into the political game,” Mudzuri said.
Kuwadzana East MP Nelson Chamisa said Mujuru “cannot expect to come straight into the driving seat”.
“If she wants to join opposition politics then it is fine, but she cannot expect to come straight into the driving seat. It is not going to happen. There is a good reason why the MDC-T is still in opposition. It is because we are being refined for governance,” he said.
Giving a clearest hint that the coalition was nothing, but a red herring that faces a stillbirth, Chamisa added: “Mujuru is a troubled soul, she has to work and earn her stripes. Mujuru can join the lower ranks and learn from those who have been at the game of opposing Zanu PF for longer.”
Former Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, who has assumed the position of information chief in the group of disgruntled former ruling party senior officials, has been quoted in the media as saying People First is ready to work with other opposition parties.
Gumbo has claimed low level engagements have already begun at the behest of Mujuru and Tsvangirai as well as other opposition formations.
