MDC-99, NCA merge into one political party

Harare Bureau
MDC-99 led by Mr Job Sikhala and the National Constitutional Assembly yesterday merged to become one political party that will operate in the interim under the NCA banner.
The merger was announced by MDC-99 president Mr Job Sikhala at a press conference in Harare.
The NCA evolved into a political party after the 31 July harmonised elections and is led by University of Zimbabwe law lecturer Professor Lovemore Madhuku.

“We have been working together on several modalities to see how we can proceed and we have agreed that the MDC-99 merges with the NCA to come out with one political movement that will contest for political power against the current political set up,” Mr Sikhala said.

Mr Sikhala said his party had good relations with the NCA since the period of the referendum when they campaigned for a No vote against the adoption of the constitution.

“We enjoyed the growth of our relationship with the NCA since the period of the referendum in March this year when we were a few of those who were not in support of the inclusive Government’s document,” he said.

“Our relationship with the NCA grew from strength to strength from that time when we were the opposing voice to the de-facto one party state that was existing then and the growth of our relationship turned political later when we had to sit down and chat the way forward and decided that our relationship must go beyond that and come up with a different political movement that will give a different voice from the current chorus that has been echoing in our country.”

Mr Sikhala said they were in the process of integrating their grassroots structures ahead of their inaugural congress to be held by March next year.

But he was evasive on the position he will occupy in the current set up. “Our roadmap is clear,” said Mr Sikhala. “We are not worried about the issue of positions, they will define themselves at the time of the congress. We are not worried about the scramble for positions and every individual will be in the national taskforce with equal power.”

NCA spokesperson Mr Murdoch Chivasa who also attended the press conference confirmed the merger.
“We are now working together under the banner of the NCA and the integration process of our structures from the provinces, districts and branches is ongoing,” he said.

“Other issues will be discussed at the congress that will be held before March next year.”
The MDC-99 was formed in 2010 by Mr Sikhala after he fell out with the MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube and before that both Mr Sikhala and Prof Ncube used to belong to the MDC led by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.