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Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
Expelled former Zanu-PF provincial chairman for Mashonaland West Mr Temba Mliswa has confirmed working with MDC functionaries in a bid to form a grand coalition to challenge Zanu-PF in the 2018 harmonised polls.
Mr Mliswa, who was recalled from Parliament after his expulsion from Zanu-PF, said he would contest his former seat, Hurungwe West, as an independent candidate on June 10.
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Mr Mliswa claimed Zanu-PF would split in 2018 because of deep-rooted factional fights, while declaring the opposition MDC would be much alive.
“I am young and I think the future is for the young . . . There will be a paradigm shift in 2018.
“Wait and see. I do not see a legislator coming in who is over 60. I am not talking of regime change but a paradigm shift that will usher in a new era of politics…
“I would want to see (Nelson) Chamisa, (Jessie) Majome. I like Chamisa. They (Chamisa and Majome) have great brains good for our country.
“I know the young boys as I said, there will be a grand coalition.
“If there was something like that I would advocate for it. It makes sense.
“I want to be in it.”
Mr Mliswa made another claim that the Young Turks in Zimbabwe were being let down by the older generation.
He said he would fight for his generation to put hands on the levers of State power.
“I want to fight for my generation,” he said.
“Our generation has more voters than any other generation. I like change and this fight is not about me but my generation. So if we are united, why can we not win?
“I think we have been let down by generations before us. These guys are supposed to pass the baton to us but they do not even have the (baton).”
Mr Mliswa alleged that people were still hesitant to buy his idea, adding that he would use the Hurungwe West by-election as a launchpad for his proposed coalition.
He claimed that he would win the by-election and that would work as a precedent for others to stand as independent candidates too.
“It has to start with someone,” he said. “People are a bit shaky and the real by-election is in Hurungwe West. I am going to stand as an independent candidate and I am going to win resoundingly.
“Even if they rig I will still win,” he said.
As has become his character, Mr Mliswa went on a tirade, denouncing the Zanu-PF leadership saying his expulsion from the party was a blessing.
Mr Mliswa made claims of corruption against several Zanu-PF officials including Cdes Obert Mpofu (finance), Ignatius Chombo (administration), Saviour Kasukuwere (commissariat) and Professor Jonathan Moyo (science and technology).
Mr Mliswa said he was pained that his uncle, Mr Didymus Mutasa, together with other members of the Mujuru cabal that include Cdes Ray Kaukonde, John Mvundura and Luke Mushore) had been booted from their posts ‘‘on the basis of falsehoods’’.
Online Reporter