OPPOSITION MDC leader Welshman Ncube has challenged party members to reflect on whether they wanted their party to be regional or national and also weigh the pros and cons of entering into coalitions with other opposition parties as part of strategies to dislodge Zanu PF.
by KHANYILE MLOTSHWA
Addressing over 200 party supporters at Lobengula Hall in Bulawayo on Sunday, Ncube encouraged party structures to “openly” discuss the issues and formulate positions ahead of the party’s congress to be held at White City Stadium on a date yet to be finalised.
“Even the issue that is causing disharmony in the party is not all about dictatorship, marginalisation,” he said.
Welshman Ncube
“That’s a lie. How do you marginalise the CEO [chief executive officer] of the company? How? The issue that is there and must be discussed in the structures is: Do we want to be a regional party or a national party? We should discuss these issues in the structures.”
The MDC recently booted out acting secretary-general, Moses Mzila Ndlovu, after the latter accused Ncube of dictatorship.
“Do we want to be a regional party? That is the issue. But this cannot be discussed when people are apart, each one at their house. We should discuss this thing openly where there are people. We should discuss it in all the community and public halls like this until we converge at White City Stadium. We should discuss this and be honest. Let’s give each other answers that we honestly believe in,” he said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Ncube said party supporters also had to reflect seriously on the question of coalitions.
“The other question is on whether we really want the Zanu PF rule to end in 2018. If we want it to end, do we want our candidate to be (People’s Democratic Party leader Tendai) Biti, (MDC-T leader Morgan) Tsvangirai, (Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe leader Elton) Mangoma and (Zanu PF leader Robert) Mugabe? Will we win? We should ask ourselves if we can win at all under such a torrential rains situation,” Ncube said.
“We should also ask yourselves if we should have a coalition with others. Imagine Biti, Mangoma and us there as a coalition; Tsvangirai out there, (Zimbabwe People First leader Joice) Mujuru out there, and then Mugabe assisted by Grace Mugabe in a wheelbarrow. Will we win? Be honest with yourselves. Do all the permutations. You said we cannot win standing alone as a party. Now you are saying we can’t win in a coalition with Biti. What should we do? When we get to the congress, we will build our resolutions around those two issues.”
