Welshman Ncube warms up to poll pact

Politics
THE Welshman Ncube-led MDC has said it is open to forge an alliance with other political parties, but has set conditions for aspiring partners prior to entering into a grand coalition.

THE Welshman Ncube-led MDC has said it is open to forge an alliance with other political parties, but has set conditions for aspiring partners prior to entering into a grand coalition.

Report by Nqobile Bhebhe

MDC’s National Standing Committee, which met on Wednesday, said it would enter into a pact with parties that shun violence, reject politics of ethnic superiority and uphold zero tolerance for corruption.

“The standing committee noted the public debate around the issue of a coalition among political parties and in so doing noted the party’s resolutions made at congress on January 8 2011,” MDC spokesperson Nhlanhla Dube said yesterday.

“It further resolved that the party remains open to working with democratic forces, which share its values in theory and in practice.”

Dube said such discussions should uphold the principle of mutual respect and negate the tendency of grandstanding and negotiating in the full glare of the public for purposes of deceiving the masses.

“No political party, which falls short of these requirements, will receive consideration from our party,” he said.

The standing committee authorised the party’s secretary-general, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and treasurer-general, Paul Themba Nyathi “to be its primary and only contact persons for any political party which seeks to have a conversation with us”.

On Wednesday, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai also said he was open to forming an election coalition with Ncube in order to topple President Robert Mugabe at the next elections.

Addressing leaders of civil society organisations in Harare, Tsvangirai said political parties needed to form an alliance in the national interest.

“Let us unite to make sure that we achieve what we set (out to do) in 1999,” he said.

“If it means Tsvangirai and Welshman are the impediments to that alliance or that coalition, then Tsvangirai and Welshman Ncube should not be leaders of political parties.”

During the meeting, Ncube accepted nomination from all 12 provinces to be the presidential candidate for the forthcoming July 31 elections.