Zanu PF has reportedly approached a number of winning MDC-T legislators offering them ministerial posts, in a move that some fear is a divide-and-rule tactic.
Nduduzo Tshuma
President Robert Mugabe’s party has reportedly sent emissaries to MDC-T members pleading with them to participate in the government at a time when the party’s leader Morgan Tsvangirai says they will boycott the new government yet to be formed.
Writing in The Herald, columnist Nathaniel Manheru, believed to be Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba, hinted that Tsvangirai and his party may be appointed to government posts.
“Then, he (Mugabe) underlined, the ethic of working together had to be upheld by whoever emerged as the winner of the polls,” he wrote. “Did they get that hint? How did they interpret it?
“It’s not too late to redeem the situation. All he (Tsvangirai) needs to do is to raise himself above bad advice from some of his people who have never loved him anyway. Need he fall on his own sword?” Some MDC-T officials in Bulawayo, where the party claimed all 12 seats on offer in last week’s election, have confirmed that some overtures have been made.
“Emissaries approached me and said they wanted to work with me when a new government is formed,” an official, speaking on strict confidentiality, said.
MDC-T national spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said they had received reports that Zanu PF was sending emissaries to winning candidates, asking them to work together with the party.
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“We are aware that Zanu PF is trying to destroy our party. We don’t have the names right now, but we know that they have been sending people to our members asking for co-operation,” he said.
“What they are trying to do is create a rift between the party leadership and those members that won in the elections.” Mwonzora said there could never be co-operation between the two parties.
“There will never be co-operation,” he charged.
“If Zanu PF wants to co-operate with the MDC-T, it should approach the party leadership and not individuals.”
Mwonzora urged all those who were approached by Zanu PF to resist the moves and report to the MDC-T leadership.
No comment could be obtained from Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo as he said he was attending a politburo meeting.
However, party deputy director of information, Psychology Maziwisa dismissed the MDC-T claims as nonsensical and desperate.
“It’s nonsense! It’s a claim that has no rational basis,” he said. “Why would we approach their members when we have won two-thirds majority. Those are desperate claims by a party that has lost elections.”
Maziwisa said Zanu PF was not looking for any partnership with MDC-T, saying the party would go it alone.
“We will form an entirely Zanu PF government because the days of the inclusive government are over,” he said.
