Source: Tsvangirai works with Ncube again – DailyNews Live
Blessings Mashaya 21 April 2017
HARARE – Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his former
secretary-general, Welshman Ncube, yesterday ended their long stand-off
when they signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work together in
the watershed 2018 national elections.
This comes after Tsvangirai signed a similar deal with former Vice
President Joice Mujuru on Wednesday, as the opposition edges closer to
finalising the long mooted grand coalition in their bid to end President
Robert Mugabe’s and Zanu PF’s rule next year.
Yesterday’s pact ended 12 years of frosty relations between Tsvangirai and
Ncube, in a move which analysts said was a clear indication that the
opposition was now coming of age.
“It would also be equally dishonest not to recognise that in our journey
with Ncube we both made our own mistakes.
“We split our party in 2005. The cost of that vote splitting, in addition
to the blatant manipulation of results, delayed change for the people of
Zimbabwe in 2008.
“Ladies and gentleman, it takes humble leadership to accept one’s mistakes
and it also takes bold leadership to correct those mistakes,” Tsvangirai
told journalists in Harare yesterday.
“It is in this respect that I am both relieved and pleased to have signed
a memorandum of understanding with Ncube, as a first step towards undoing
the damage we caused ourselves.
“Today, Ncube and I will open a new chapter and craft a political
agreement that should see us harness and combine our known electoral
strengths to face our common opponent as a united front,” he added.
Singing from the same hymn sheet, a beaming Ncube said he also regretted
the split of a decade ago, and was confident that their newly-found
alliance would finally consign Mugabe and Zanu PF to a decisive electoral
defeat next year.
“Let me repeat what president Tsvangirai said, I also take personal
responsibility for the mistakes that we made in the past.
“We accepted that we divided our people, we divided the membership of the
party, which we should not have done.
“I too take responsibility for those mistakes. But what is more important
today is for us to not just accept those mistakes but begin to take steps
that are necessary for us to be accountable to the people of Zimbabwe.
“The people of Zimbabwe, wherever we go, tell us that we must unite. We
must come together to confront the regime that has caused so much misery
and so much chaos in this beautiful country.
“In 2018 we must not fail. The objective now should be bringing together
the democratic forces that have some value to add to the struggle and I
want to congratulate president Tsvangirai and his team for the work that
has been done,” Ncube said.
“If anyone in this country expects us to contest the next elections
separately as we did in 2008 and 2013 … it will not only be a third
moment of real madness, but the highest form of insanity and none of us is
insane,” Tsvangirai chipped in.
The former prime minister in the government of national unity has for the
past few months been working feverishly behind the scenes with Mujuru and
other smaller opposition leaders to finalise the grand coalition.
Optimism has been high ever since Tsvangirai and Mujuru publicly flaunted
their readiness to join forces against the ruling party, when they
appeared together in Gweru last August.
Analysts have also repeatedly said Mujuru, whose liberation struggle nom
de guerre was Teurai Ropa (Spill Blood), and whose husband Solomon was the
first black post-independence army commander, could provide the
much-needed bridge that opposition parties have been missing to ensure the
smooth transfer of power if they win elections again.
However, they have also warned that without a broad coalition involving
all the major opposition players, Zanu PF would use “its usual thuggish
and foul methods” to retain power in 2018.
COMMENTS
People wanted this united front long back. ZANU is in utter disarray. Let’s unite and kick it out. Remember that we fought for freedom and democracy.. ZANU is for dictatorship and oppression. Corruption is at its worst in government circles. Resources are being channelled towards factional wars. The economy is in the intensive care unit. Change is the only game in town. We need to build Zimbabwe and the coalition will be an enabler. Let the small players coalesce around the bigger ones. 2018 is do or die for all of us. Thanks guys for seeing the light. Disappointed it took so long. The good thing is you have a good chunk of ZANU in NPP led by Nhongo’s widow. Do not listen to the ZANU agents who want people to doubt her sincerity. We all have a history. She may even have elements in the institutions of power and we need those in this last lap. Well done all. Get Simba and Tendai and sort out the constituencies representation formula asap. The earlier the better. Our people in the opposition must be able to work together again as in 2000 , 2002 when ZANU saw red despite the rigging machinery. They even chased people with dogs when defeat beckoned.
Ok so do you think tendai biti will join this overdue reunion and get something good for 2018?
Is this genuine – they that scuttled the prospects last time around have not gone to the povo to explain the damage they did. Surely all the pain for over a decade and you just come back in a suit to say that was wrong let’s unite? Convince us that this is not yet another gimmick that will fall apart before election day due to selfish egos we have seen so clearly and to our dismay in the past. The damage has been overwhelming and we know the pain.
One can understand the euphoria by some and skepticism by others. But what both sides should not miss is that ONLY UNITY OF THE OPPOSITION will defeat Zanu. The motives of the players in that union are neither here nor there so long as the goal is achieved. It is in the interest of all peace and prosperity loving Zimbos to make this coalition work. For once let’s not be “too smart” for our own good – we can be cautious but there is absolutely no need to be prophets of doom. Let’s be honest to ourselves, what is the alternative? If we could accept the torture and rape during the liberation war all for our independence surely we can live with an imperfect coalition for our democracy. Let’s remember too that those who wait for perfect conditions never get anything done. It’s now or never – a team in the final can only use the players at its disposal. Morgan, Joyce, Welshman, Tendai and Simba are our core team for the 2018 finals. Let’s all cheer them to victory.
Thumbs up President Tsvangirai and Ncube but most importantly Mugabe must now go and his trix must come to an end now. We will support u from boarder to boarder.They can kill us but this is the high time for us to restore our lovely Zimbabwe. Even Mbuya Nehanda will back us because she can’t see us losing our birth right country .Tsvangirai this is your time Boy.