Joylene Mtandwa | Supporters of the Morgan Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic Change (MDCT) have told ZimEye.com that they will not vote for coalition seeking partner Zimbabwe People First candidate Kudakwashe Gopo because of his violent involvement in the 2008 and 2013 ZANU PF campaigns.

Tsvangirai who was invited to speak at the rally also addressed by Joice Mujuru is reported to have turned down the offer.

Speaking to ZimEye.com in Nyika Growth Point on Thursday afternoon on the sidelines of a Mujuru campaign rally, the lead opposition party supporters said that there is no way they will vote for Gopo who was terrorising MDC – T supporters with retired Colonel Claudiuos Makova while they were still in ZANU PF a few years ago.

The supporters claimed that they even blocked their party leader from coming to the constituency to garner support for Gopo as part of the coalition building process. The supporters vowed that they would never back the coalition if it was coming with “former ZANU PF murderous ” at the front.

The MDC -T supporters said that during his ZANU PF days Gopo was leading the notorious ZANU PF youth to brutally attack opposition parties members and he has not apologised for his deeds and is hoping to get their backing.

Asked how they will then vote in 2018, the supporters said that they will rather stay at home than vote for Gopo or will go and vote for any other independent candidates on the list.

Mujuru and Tsvangirai are currently involved in serious coalition negotiations to form a united challenge against ruling ZANU PF in the 2018 elections.