Trust Chikohora, who is the leader of the opposition Coalition for Democrats (CODE) will lead the new alliance, called the Zimbabwe Coalition for Peace and Development (ZCPD).
Other principals of the alliance include Lucia Matibenga of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who is the vice president, Reverend Everisto Washington Chikanga from Rebuilding Zimbabwe Party (RZP) the secretary general and Peter Gava of the United Democratic People’s Party (UDPP) who is the treasurer general.
Pastor Philip Mugadza of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) is the organising secretary while Innocent Netanyahu from Straight Black Pride Zimbabwe Partnership (SBPZP) will take care of the information and publicity portfolio.
Addressing the media at the official launch of the coalition in the capital on Thursday, Chikohora said unlike other opposition political parties, some of which campaigned for the country to be slapped with economic sanctions, they would be joining the ruling ZANU PF to denounce the embargoes.
He said they would not work with the Nelson Chamisa led Citizens for Coalition Change (CCC) and the MDC-Alliance of Douglas Mwonzora since one of them was already dead while the other supported the ruinous economic sanctions that some Western countries on Zimbabwe.
Chikohora urged other political players to join their coalition and work as a team for the betterment of the people of Zimbabwe, adding the challenges bedevilling the country were a result of political polarisation amongst Zimbabweans.
“We believe that these challenges will only be solved sustainably if we come together as Zimbabweans to find each other and build our country together as a united people,” he said.
He said it was against that background that the six political parties had found each other and formed the coalition since they shared the same aspirations, principles and values.
Before the 2018 harmonised, seven political parties formed the MDC Alliance to present a united front against ZANU PF.
After the elections, President Emmerson Mnangagwa formed POLAD and invited all the candidates who he had defeated in the Presidential election to join the platform, to enable them to provide input for national development.
Citizens Coalition for Change (then MDC Alliance) leader Nelson Chamisa, who disputed the results of the Presidential elections alleging fraud although he failed to produce the evidence in court, refused to join the grouping, insisting on direct talks with President Mnangagwa.
New Ziana