WITH elections drawing closer, the opposition has never been in such disarray and the coalition that was touted as the country’s best hope to end Zanu PF misrule is literally in tatters.
As we feared, greed and egos are at the heart of everything wrong with the push towards a coalition, with Zimbabweans staring at the stark reality they may have to defer their dreams once again thanks to an opposition that cannot get its act together.
The MDC Alliance was formed with much pomp and fanfare and it seemed the opposition had learned from mistakes of the past, but no sooner had it been launched than there emerged stories that MDC-T deputy president, Thokozani Khupe and others in her party had been assaulted for being opposed to the coalition.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) claimed its leader, Tendai Biti, had not signed the coalition agreement and his presence at the signing ceremony was only ceremonial.
Jacob Ngarivhume of Transform Zimbabwe is now demanding more constituencies be allocated to his party.
On the other hand, National People’s Party (NPP) leader, Joice Mujuru says she will not join the coalition as long as it is called MDC Alliance and wants a more neutral name.
Mujuru’s party, PDP and Zapu, led by Dumiso Dabengwa, are also said to have formed an alliance in Matabeleland and all this is confusing, as it points to disorderliness and could lead to massive losses at the next elections.
MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai and Mujuru signed a memorandum of agreement, which promised so much hope that they would be working together, but it seems they were only flattering to deceive.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
The opposition leaders seem as far away from finding each other as they were at any given time and the hopes of a coalition dissipate with each passing day.
Having a coalition cannot be overemphasised, as the opposition have first-hand experience of what happens when they go to elections in disunity.
However, this does not mean a coalition should be forced down the throats of everyone, but rather, opposition players should convince each other on why there is need for unity.
In 2008, Zimbabweans almost experienced the change they were yearning for, but failure to unite ahead of the polls meant Zanu PF’s survival.
We plead with opposition players to stop looking for positions now and come together with the sole purpose of removing this government that is responsible for people’s suffering.
Removing Zanu PF from power should be a priority and this can only be achieved if there is unity of purpose.
