No love between Mujuru, Tsvangirai

Robin Muchetu in Bulawayo
A hodgepodge of small opposition political parties yesterday signed up for the People’s Rainbow Coalition and endorsed National People’s Party leader Dr Joice Mujuru as its Presidential candidate in the 2018 harmonised elections.

The coalition, seen as Dr Mujuru’s answer to MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC Alliance, was formalised at Stanley Square here.

It brings together the NPP, Peoples Democratic Party, Zimbabweans United for Democracy Party and the Democratic Assembly for Restoration and Empowerment.

Dr Mujuru said, “We have officially appended our signatures on this document because we share a lot of similarities and we are committed to the development of the nation.”

Dr Mujuru said she was confident the coalition would win the elections, while claiming Zimbabweans had been reduced to vendors and beggars.

Mr Gorden Moyo, the PDP secretary-general, said three more political parties would soon join the new coalition although he did not name them.

“Our coalition is getting bigger. I am pleased to announce that three more political parties have expressed interest in joining out new coalition and we are happy to take them on board making the number of parties to seven,” he said.

Mr Gilbert Dzikiti, who heads DARE, said the parties had been working together for a while and had now decided to formally come together.

The signing ceremony was briefly disturbed as rowdy youths began to sing and dance in the rain. The masters of ceremony had a tough time controlling the unruly crowd that was not paying attention to the proceedings as they concentrated on food stalls and small talk among themselves.