Shaky start to grand coalition

THE proposed merger of different political parties, civil society and churches into a grand coalition against President Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF ahead of the next general elections scheduled for 2018 elections is still to take shape with no definite matrix yet by parties involved, showing it could be a while before the united front comes to fruition.

Sources said the coalition, although having been mooted by many other parties before, is currently widely believed to be propelled by leader of the latest MDC-T splinter group, Tendai Biti and MDC leader, Welshman Ncube. Ncube and Biti are believed to be leading the alliance talks that appeared to be in full swing in recent weeks but now are being rubbished by other players as there is no consensus yet on definite modalities, players and agenda.

Also involved are Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn (MKD) leader Simba Makoni, Dumiso Dabengwa, ZAPU president, Lovemore Madhuku of the National Constitutional Assembly, civic society and churches. It, however, appears the coalition talks are destined to collapse as no formal agreement has been arrived at since the plans came to the fore about two months ago.  Some of the parties involved painted a gloomy picture about the coalition to the Financial Gazette in interviews over the week.

Spokesman of the Ncube-led MDC, Nhlanhla Dube, described the grand coalition talks as ‘parochial’.  “So far there is nothing concrete that has been agreed on. What we are having right now are parochial talks that are limited to the Ncube-Biti level whereas we want to broaden them to involve many other players,” he said.

“What is important is for all opposition parties, civic society, the church to have a coalition around agreement or settle for a principle which binds them together, which is a democratic cause but that has not been the case so far,” he added.

Jacob Mafume, spokesperson of the MDC-T faction led by Biti, confirmed talks were in progress but said they were not yet at a formal stage. “The talks are there but they are still informal. Engagements are taking place at various levels to form a grand coalition. The talks are taking place between various players in the opposition movement including Welshman Ncube. We would also want to incorporate other figures such as Mutumwa Mawere, Simba Makoni, Dumiso Dabengwa and others,” he said.

ZAPU Vice President Emilia Mukaratirwa poured cold water on the move saying there was nothing much to talk about. “So far the meetings have been informal, nothing serious, nothing definite. There has just been one or two informal meetings, nothing has taken place which is worth talking about,” said Mukaratirwa. “If something meaningful comes up in future, we will inform you but if someone tells you that there is something serious to that effect, they will be lying,” she added.

“The few meetings that have been held were as haphazard and disorganized as beer hall discussions and for someone to say there is something serious about that is really a lie,” Mukaratirwa clarified.  MDC-T spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora, scoffed at the coalition which appears to be sidelining the faction he belongs to. He said they were not worried about the ‘meaningless negotiations’ as they had the people on their side.

“History and the people are on our side. History will prove us right. This party, (MDC-T), was formed to fulfill a specific historical mission which is to liberate the people of Zimbabwe from black on black oppression and we will achieve that with or without the said coalition,” said Mwonzora.

“We have neither an idea as to who is leading these talks, nor do we care about it,” he added.

In the past coalitions against the ruling party have not worked. Attempts by the MDC, ZAPU, ZANU Ndonga and Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn (MKD) to form a coalition against ZANU-PF ahead of the 2013 harmonised elections failed to amount to anything formidable.  The last election saw Simba Makoni president of MKD not run for presidency as he threw his weight behind MDC-T and instead ran for a Parliament seat in Makoni, after the grand coalition they had initially wanted did not materialise. 
Makoni lost the seat and nothing substantive came out of the joint efforts.

Efforts by Kisinoti Mukwazhi of the Zimbabwe Democratic Party to unite with MDC-T and others for 2013 elections also failed due to failure to see eye to eye, resulting in Mukwazhi withdrawing his support for a union and supporting ZANU-PF instead.