By Paul Nyathi|MDC alliance spokesperson and coalition partner MDC leader, Welshman Ncube has told coalition members to stop fighting for positions and focus on drumming up support for the coalition’s presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa.
Ncube said this while addressing an MDC Alliance campaign rally in Nkayi North, on Sunday.
Ncube made the call in the wake of fierce clashes among MDC Alliance members over sharing of council and parliamentary seats with Chamisa’s MDC-T accused of trespassing into constituencies reserved for other alliance partners.
Ncube said since 2000, the main opposition MDC had many legislators, but lost the presidential bid.
He said winning parliamentary seats does not change anything in the governance system.
“We have had opposition members of Parliament for many years, but nothing has changed. However, there is only one issue that can change our lives and that’s removing Zanu PF government, a government that perpetuates hunger, poverty and endless troubles,” he told supporters.
“That’s the key issue. If we do not change the State House issue, that is the President, we won’t be doing ourselves any favours. This year is Nelson Chamisa’s time; he is the one to use to remove Zanu PF from State House. [The late MDC-T leader] Morgan Tsvangirai birthed the idea of an alliance and re-united the parties.”
“However, when we are in the process of re-uniting there some among us who are losing focus and direction, a woman says ‘I want to be the president’. We are not chasing after positions, we will look into that after we liberate ourselves, only what we are for is removing Zanu PF from power on July 30 and have a better life,” he said in an apparent jibe directed at breakaway MDC-T faction leader Thokozani Khupe.
Khupe severed ties with the Chamisa a few months ago following an ugly fight over the party presidency.
But, Ncube described her move as divisive and meant to weaken the opposition and advantage ruling Zanu PF presidential candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“This is not the time to be divided. Everywhere you go right now in Zimbabwe, the name Nelson Chamisa is abuzz. This is the opportunity not to miss. We should not be fooled by some people who will come to you saying ‘it’s my time to be president’.”
“Mnangagwa, who was a bus conductor, now says Zimbabwe is open for business, the key question is who had closed the country for business? We all know that he is incapable of doing that. He was Mugabe’s conductor for 38 years,” he said.