Coalition talks ahead of the 2018 harmonized elections have hit another snag after MDC-T and ZimPF expressed unwillingness to honour an invitation by an international think tank for a meeting in South Africa next week where a strategy to oust the nonagenarian strongman President Robert Mugabe will be discussed.
Invitation letters were sent to MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and ZimPF leader Joice Mujuru and 14 other opposition political parties, but it was not yet clear whether the two stalwarts would attend in person.
ZimPF spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire said his party would not attend.
“I understand that they have invited us, but as a party, we are not going,” Mawarire said.
“We started these talks on our own and people should give us a chance to carry on with the dialogue process that we are currently seized with without external interference.
“We haven’t reached a deadlock and certainly the services of a mediator are not necessary at this juncture,” Mawarire said.
Previous attempts to hold coalition talks between opposition political parties ended in a stalemate due to squabbles pertaining to the leadership of the coalition.
MDC-T also said it was not aware of the coalition talks to be held in South Africa as they had not received the invitation.
“We are not aware of it and maybe our invitation is coming, but I doubt if MDC-T will be part of it. We don’t know the objectives of the meeting and we are not sure of the criterion used to select the parties,” MDC-T spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora said.
Opposition party leaders, who spoke to Nehanda Radio, confirmed the talks – which will also touch on the unending political and economic problems the country faces – were on the cards, but pleaded that the issue be kept out of the public domain, fearing the Zanu PF government would try to derail the initiative.
Sources say the meeting will be convened by Transformative Initiative (ITI) ,an organization that seeks to assists peace-making processes by drawing from the South African experience- promoting dialogue among citizens, government and any other sector, where conflict and violence exists or might become a possibility.
Organisers say a majority of opposition political parties were interested in discussing possible strategies to unseat Mugabe who has clinged on to power for 36 years, presiding over the demise of the Zimbabwean economy.
“There is an invitation for approximately 16 political parties to discuss the current political and economic crisis in the country to see what options there are for possible solutions,” the source said.
The source added: “Ultimately, and if agreeable to all the parties, the opposition leaders will discuss a grand coalition to bring the parties together and field one candidate to face Zanu PF in the 2018 elections.
“The meeting will persuade other leaders to accept a coalition and discuss technical issues surrounding the way forward should all the parties be amenable to it.”
One of the opposition political parties who preferred anonymity admitted the coalition talks were moving at a snail pace.
“You know we are facing a lot of challenges in Zimbabwe, both politically and economically. We have had meetings before under the National Electoral Reform Agenda and Coalition of Democrats (Code), but there is little progress in forming a strong and united force to challenge Mugabe,” said the opposition leader.
Political analysts say next week’s meeting would present all parties with an opportunity to speak with one voice against Mugabe who is unlikely to contest the 2018 elections.
MDC-T has in the past been condemned for a ‘big brother’ mentality due to its unwillingness to work with small opposition political parties