Opposition Zapu leader Dumiso Dabengwa has revealed that his party is committed to engaging in a strong coalition with other opposition parties so as to have a formidable force to challenge Zanu PF and President Robert Mugabe in the 2018 elections.
Source: Zapu commits to grand coalition – NewsDay Zimbabwe January 3, 2017
BY SILAS NKALA
Dabengwa made the remarks in his New Year (2017) message on December 30.
He said Zapu is committed to the formation of a coalition to contest the elections as a united force.
“It is in pursuit of this goal that Zapu has participated in the formation and negotiations of the Coalition of Democrats (Code). This is in response to calls from the population and civic society for the need to present a united front in the fight against Zanu PF. Electoral reforms remain a short to medium-term solution to the problems our country is facing,” Dabengwa said.
“The establishment and capacitation of a truly independent electoral commission as called for and provided for in the Constitution has to be achieved immediately.”
Dabengwa said the long-term goals of Zapu remain unchanged.
He said Zapu in 2016 embarked on a nationwide restructuring and mobilisation exercise to connect with its supporters and come up with people-oriented programmes of action ahead of next year’s polls.
“It is one organisation whose members, supporters and well-wishers associate with the unfinished business of liberation and self-fulfillment of generations of Zimbabwean people,” he said.
“In our negotiations for a brighter future of Zimbabwe we continue to call for the implementation of comprehensive devolution of power to the five regions we have identified and named in Zimbabwe. Self-determination is a God-given right,” he said.
“We believe that diversity as contained in the colonial physical borders can only be a blessing for our beautiful country. Fellow citizens, I wish you a prosperous new year, free from the chains of dictatorship as currently is the case under Zanu PF and Robert Mugabe.”
COMMENTS
I do not agree with Dumiso on devolution with a central overall government. Tribalism is still too powerful an influence for this to work well in the forseeable future. The country needs to divide into at least three separate states that go their own way for many years and then attempt to coalesce when tribalism has less influence in daily life. However the very best of luck in uniting the diverse opposition parties before the next election.
Your solution will simply create 3 basket cases each with a huge useless civil service dependent on foreign aid. Dabengwa’s idea at least avoids that disastrous future. If any country is to succeed then all it’sdiverent parts need to pull together. Take the UK the concentration of wealth in South East England has given rise to a strong Scotstish National Party because they have been marginalised.
Unity of purpose first and foremost push Mugabe over the cliff then talk and agree on how best to run the country consulting the populace too with referendums on matters of governance