Parties coalition might not succeed: Dabengwa

Chronicle Reporter
ZAPU president, Dr Dumiso Dabengwa yesterday said timing and differences in the articulation of the purpose of a planned election coalition might frustrate efforts to forge the alliance. In remarks that suggest that the so-called grand coalition might not succeed, Dr Dabengwa said while some parties, particularly MDC-T want the pact before harmonised elections on 31 July, Zapu wants it after.  He also insisted that any pact that is solely targeted towards seeking to remove Zanu-PF from office is unsustainable.
He said:
“We have been talking and we will finally announce when we decide, but as Zapu, we see a lot of problems regarding the timing and purpose of the structure.  We see a lot of problems if we are to have it before elections, but if it were to happen after.  That is our feeling also because looking at the time factor, we have the nomination courts sitting tomorrow (today) at various places countrywide and yesterday (Thursday) parties filed their lists of names to ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) and have done that separately.  That, I think is a problem because some people have been campaigning and to ask someone who has been campaigning to withdraw their nomination in favour of someone from another party can be a problem.”

Leaders of MDC-T, Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn and Zanu-Ndonga have in recent weeks been touting the possibility of an electoral pact between them and Zapu and MDC.  However, some in their respective rank and file are opposed to the arrangement.  In MDC-T deputy president, Ms Thokozani Khupe, national chairman, Mr Lovemore Moyo and deputy organising secretary, Mr Abednico Bhebhe are reported to be strongly opposed to it.

Ms Khupe, who fears her position is threatened by any coalition arrangement, recently expressed her frustration at the negotiations saying she cannot be expected to step aside for MDC president, Professor Welshman Ncube as she has been winning elections while her adversary has been losing.  She beat Prof Ncube for the Makokoba seat in the 2008 harmonised elections.  Ms Khupe said there are some internal processes that her party has to go through for any cross-party co-operation to be agreed on adding that she, as a woman, must continue as Mr Tsvangirai’s deputy as the party cannot ignore the issue of representation of women in its senior ranks.

Mr Bhebhe was fired from MDC a few years ago after the faction led by Prof Ncube found him guilty of secretly working with MDC-T. Fundamental decisions of this nature, Dr Dabengwa said need endorsement by parties’ respective congresses or their other organs functioning as such.  With the limited time left before polling, going through these processes might be impossible.

On the purpose of the proposed arrangement, Dr Dabengwa said any meaningful pact must not be targeted at dealing with certain personalities, parties or other narrow interests.

“Some people are saying the target is to remove President Mugabe and Zanu-PF from power,” he said, chuckling.
“Zapu’s quarrel is not with President Mugabe or Zanu-PF.  It is not a question of President Mugabe.  What we want as Zapu is to be able to win enough votes to be able to change the governance of the country.  So President Mugabe is not our target.  These are some of the differences we have to deal with, but we are still talking.”

He has previously described Mr Tsvangirai as a “little Fredrick Chiluba who cannot be trusted,” referring to the late Zambian President who rose from trade unionism to lead Zambia.

A senior MDC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said MDC-T does not want any coalition, but is simply pretending to appease donors.
“I can tell you that Morgan Tsvangirai does not want this thing,” said the official who is familiar with the goings-on.  “Many MDC-T leaders do not want it as well if you heard what Thokozani (Ms Khupe) said recently.  Tsvangirai is just putting a show so that his donors will not accuse him of standing in the way of this.  Personally, I can tell you that I don’t want to hear anything about this coalition thing.  Many of my colleagues don’t want too because we get a sense that MDC-T have a paternalistic attitude towards everyone.  They speak as if they are the big brothers, the big guys, that the presidency of the coalition is guaranteed for Tsvangirai and that everyone takes the junior positions.  It is that attitude that I and many in our party, find very, very objectionable.  We don’t what to be used.  In any case we believe in ourselves.  We have a presidential candidate; we have candidates all over the country.”

MDC recently said it is willing to form a coalition with any party as long as it satisfies conditions of “respect for values of honesty, transparency and adherence to principle.”  It has designated its secretary-general Mrs Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga and treasurer general, Mr Paul Themba Nyathi to negotiate on its behalf.

Mr Nhlanhla Dube, MDC spokesman said their negotiating team has not been approached.
“We have always said that we are willing to speak to any party that meets the conditions we spelt out in our recent statement and we have a team tasked with negotiating for that.  However, they (MDC team) have not been approached by anyone for any conversation, so the questions on the timing of the coalition, the time for it to work and so on fall away.  I must also mention that if ever it materialises, it will not be the kind of grand coalition the media is putting it.  So I can tell you that no talks are taking place towards that.  I don’t speak on behalf of Zapu, but I think they know what we don’t know.”