The Tendai Biti-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has
dismissed claims made in a document circulating on social media alleging that
the party has agreed to be part of an alliance where it has been allocated
eight parliamentary seats.
The document claims that the PDP’s bargaining team in the
grand coalition talks had settled for only eight seats, much to the chagrin of
the leaders who said negotiations had not yet reached the stage of distribution
of seats, let alone settling on who would be the sole presidential candidate of
the coalition in the 2018 election.
In a communication sent to the party provincial chairpersons
and provincial executives, PDP secretary-general Gorden Moyo said the document
was fake and malicious and should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves.
“While the party is involved in coalition talks with other
opposition parties, I would like to put it on record that no such ridiculous
deal has been agreed by PDP negotiators.
An official party position on the coalition shall be
communicated to all the party organs via the official party channels,” he said.
“To that extent, a general council meeting has been
scheduled for August 12, 2017. Other details shall be availed in due course.”
The meeting was set to discuss the coalition issues and the
allegations being made about the party’s position.
The PDP’s remarks came after reports indicating that the
proposed grand coalition to challenge President Robert Mugabe’s reign in next
year’s general elections was now set to be officially launched on August 5.
Sources said seven parties, minus Joice Mujuru’s National
People’s Party, had officially endorsed the pact with the official launch to be
held at Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield, Harare, on Saturday.
The coalition talks started last year, but the process has
been dogged by several hitches, among them mistrust by party leaders, prompting
others such as Mujuru to pursue their own separate alliances. The process was
initiated by MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, Mujuru, Welshman Ncube (MDC),
Jacob Ngarivhume (Transform Zimbabwe) and
Biti. Newsday
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