Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai today signed a memorandum of understanding to form a coalition government with National People’s Party leader Joice Mujuru.
His remarks, however, did not stipulate how the two parties will contest next year’s elections but they are likely to contest as individuals parties as Tsvangirai said that he would be forming more alliances with other political parties as well as “traditional leaders, the church, labour, vendors, war veterans, civic society, business and the generality of Zimbabweans”.
Mugabe who will be 94 next year but will stand as the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front candidate has brushed off such alliances as a coalition of zeros.
But Mugabe is facing serious challenges within his party as cadres continue to call for the ouster of his loyalists like national commissar Saviour Kasukuwre.
Tsvangirai has been warned by his supporters not to form coalitions with ZANU-PF surrogates.
He has also insisted that he should be the leader of any coalition because of his popular support.
Although Mujuru was quite popular within ZANU-PF she is still to prove her own mettle as an opposition leader.
Below are Tsvangrai’s remarks after the signing of the MOU:
Wednesday, 19 April 2017
President Morgan Tsvangirai's remarks at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding with the National People's Party
Today is a historic day in many ways.
It is the first day of the 38th year of our independence but with the majority of Zimbabweans with nothing to show for it except dire poverty, extreme suffering, hunger and disease.
Yesterday, we had a leader who skirted the critical issues affecting the people during the commemoration of our independence, an important day that has now been privatized by a political party.
It is against this background that we have chosen this day to give hope to the people of Zimbabwe that indeed that there is a bright light at the end of this very dark tunnel.
We have chosen this day to take the first step to bring all Zimbabweans under one roof so that we can work together to remove this unmitigated repression and misgovernance that pervades our lives.
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I am pleased to inform the nation that today we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dr. Joice Mujuru of the National people’s party to establish a pre-election alliance en route to the establishment of a coalition government which shall drive a comprehensive democratization and transformation agenda.
This is just the beginning of the building blocks towards establishing a broad alliance to confront Zanu PF between now and the next election in 2018. Similar arrangements will be entered into with other political formations and we will inform you as it happens, as we have done today.
While political parties have their role in nation-building, it must be understood that they are not the only stakeholders. We are in this together with other key stakeholders such as traditional leaders, the church, labour, vendors, war veterans, civic society, business and the generality of Zimbabweans.
This is our collective struggle and I call upon the people of Zimbabwe to join us in working together and in playing your part so that we can reclaim our country, our freedom and our dignity.
To the youth, the future belongs to you. Shape it and the first step in doing so is by registering to vote.
Even at the over-ripe old age of 93, President Mugabe knows that the country’s crisis is unsustainable. Every Zimbabwean from every station of life knows it too. So we should all stand together in unison and say enough is enough. As President Mugabe enters the sunset of his life, it is incumbent upon all of us to pick the pieces and rebuild our country together.
I hope the understanding we reached today, and which we will reach with many others, will culminate in a solid political co-operation agreement that should usher in a new governance culture in our country.
Today, marks the beginning of Zimbabweans coming together in building an inclusive society that prides itself in leaving no one behind.
The future can only be bright for this country that we all love.
I thank you.
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