THE Joice Mujuru-led National People’s Party (NPP)
yesterday made a political somersault, saying it was still open for coalition
talks with the MDC Alliance led by Morgan Tsvangirai, trashing earlier claims
by the party’s secretary-general Gift Nyandoro, who recently dismissed the pact
as the “devil from hell”.
NPP spokesperson, Jeffryson Chitando said they were waiting
for Tsvangirai’s return from South Africa, where he was receiving treatment, to
resume the negotiations.
“We are waiting for the MDC-T leader to come back so that
we commence our negotiations. We cannot continue when the principal is not
there,” he said.
“We hope he will be coming soon. We wish him a speedy
recovery.” Last week, Nyandoro poured cold water on the coalition efforts
saying: “In our view, nothing has changed that would warrant a change of the
position taken by the party. Such allegations can only be made by the devil
from hell. We also challenge the devil to prove them.”
He claimed Mujuru could not be part of a coalition whose
name portrays Tsvangirai as the main player.
Nyandoro was responding to assertions by MDC Alliance
spokesperson, Jacob Ngarivhume that Mujuru had requested for a slot in the
alliance.
Mujuru has forged a separate pact with fringe opposition
parties in a bid to challenge President Robert Mugabe in next year’s elections.
In an unrelated matter, Chitando confirmed the departure of
NPP Mashonaland East provincial spokesperson, Setfree Mafukidze, claiming he
was forced to leave the party by State security agents on promises that they
would secure him a job in government.
Mafukidze said he left out of frustration.
“It’s true I have left the party. Not everything is perfect
in all political establishments in the country, some of the things go the way
we don’t expect,” he said.
“For now, I am going to remain apolitical, but it doesn’t
mean I am no longer concerned with the national political discourse.”
Since its formation, NPP has seen an exodus of key members
owing to sharp disagreements within the rank and file of the party.
Some top NPP officials told NewsDay yesterday that they
were frustrated by Mujuru’s decision to dump the Tsvangirai-led MDC Alliance
and pursue a separate coalition pact with fringe opposition parties. Newsday
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