KEY negotiators in
Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC Alliance and Joice Mujuru’s People’s Rainbow Coalition
have reportedly left for South Africa for fresh talks aimed at providing
opposition parties with a platform to form a broad coalition to challenge Zanu
PF presidential candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa in this year’s elections.
Coalition for Democrats and other relatively small parties
were reportedly part of the negotiations that will commence in Cape Town, South
Africa, tomorrow and would be facilitated by international groups.
Intriguingly, the newly-formed New Patriotic Front (NPF),
which is linked to the G40 faction in Zanu PF, reportedly has an interest in
the new coalition talks and was pushing for Mujuru’s inclusion.
This followed a meeting between Mujuru and former President
Robert Mugabe last week, where the latter reportedly apologised for pushing her
out of Zanu PF and government.
Sources said the coalition talks were being disguised as a
workshop.
An invitation letter gleaned by NewsDay read: “In
Transformation Initiative (ITI), International IDEA, Trust Africa and the
Zimbabwe Co-ordination Group (ZCG), IRI, Osisa and HSF would like to formally
invite you to participate in an experience sharing workshop to review best
practices and lessons learnt in electoral and governing coalition building
across Africa.
“The organisers recognise your personal experience,
expertise and interest in this subject. The first day will consist of
experiences from selected countries and the second day has been kept relatively
open to enable more organic discussions.
“This, we hope, will enable participants to engage more
effectively with each other on specific matters of mutual interest.
“The first day of the workshop will entail conceptual and
theoretical presentations and practical interactive sessions during which participants will discuss and reflect on strategies, tools
and resources to enhance effective coalitions.”
MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora said it made a lot
of sense to attend since he has previously presented papers on coalitions in
other countries.
“It is a workshop for sharing experiences on coalition
building in Africa,” he said.
“Our understanding is that since we have formed our
coalition in Zimbabwe, the purpose of the workshop is focusing on how to make
meaningful coalitions and avoid the obvious problems associated with alliance
building.
“For us, it is an educational workshop, it is not to firm
on anything, so we are not going to South Africa to form any coalition with
anyone.
“We don’t have to go to South Africa to do that.”
Mujuru was reportedly already in South Africa.
Her spokesperson, Gift Nyandoro, initially promised to look
into the matter, but was not answering his phone later.
According to the sources, MDC Alliance partners were in
sixes and sevens as to the way forward, although there was consensus that they
would boycott the meeting.
“You might find some within the alliance expressing
interest in the meeting, although it has been agreed that all principals must
not attend,” a source said.
“The basis being that Mujuru was invited to join the
alliance, but she refused and nothing has changed. In fact, there is suspicion
that she wants to hijack the alliance because Tsvangirai is not feeling well.”
In the MDC-T, the meeting would reportedly put rival
factions at loggerheads, as some were interested in the meeting while others
were not.
“About four people were invited to the meeting in South
Africa, the three vice-presidents Nelson Chamisa, Elias Mudzuri and Thokozani
Khupe, together with the secretary-general, Douglas Mwonzora.
“However, since Tsvangirai has not given the green light,
the leaders might not go fearing that they will be chastised within the party
for attending such meetings that Tsvangirai himself previously snubbed,” the
source said.
Others claimed yesterday that former Zanu PF commissar
Saviour Kasukuwere, personally phoned some opposition politicians inviting them
to the meeting.
They told NewsDay that Kasukuwere was of the view that
since Tsvangirai was not feeling well and might not be in good shape by the
time of elections, opposition parties should rally behind Mujuru.
“There is more than what meets the eye. Kasukuwere was
calling some leaders and personally inviting them to the meeting,” the source
said.
“He was saying since the MDC-T is failing to agree on the
way forward, it might be prudent for everyone to rally behind Mujuru,” claimed
another source.
“This has raised eyebrows, considering that Mujuru refused
to work with the MDC Alliance and that she is linked to Mugabe again, this
might work against the coalition, hence, some leaders are hesitant.
“They view this as disingenuous to the real transformation
that the genuine opposition is seeking.”
Former G40 kingpins – Kasukuwere, Jonathan Moyo and Patrick
Zhuwao – reportedly worked behind the scenes to form their own party, NPF that
will challenge Mnangagwa at this year’s elections.
Last year, ITI tried in vain to bring the opposition
parties together following a series of meetings in South Africa. Newsday
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