I can’t be Tsvangirai deputy: Mujuru
OPPOSITION National People’s Party (NPP) leader Joice Mujuru has reportedly stood her ground and refused to deputise MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the envisaged coalition pact to challenge President Robert Mugabe in elections next year, NewsDay has learnt.
NPP secretary-general Gift Nyandoro yesterday acknowledged that there were sticking issues delaying the signing of a pact between Mujuru and Tsvangirai, adding that the former Vice-President had not yet agreed to deputise the MDC-T leader in the MDC Alliance.
“No amount of mischief is ever going to railroad NPP into public disclosure of what are the key outstanding issues before both parties so agree to announce,” he said.
Both Tsvangirai and Mujuru were reportedly fighting over the leadership of the alliance.
“Regrettably political prophets of doom and soothsayers have sought to parade and manufacture falsehoods on social media to the effect of NPP having concluded the noble talks with MDC-T and Dr Joice Teurai Ropa Mujuru having accepted the position of vice-presidency of the MDC Alliance.
“Such falsehoods are scandalous and simply put; are a hallmark of political desperation by political opportunists and midgets who want to ensure that our engagement with MDC-T collapses,” he said.
“The party leadership of both sides and their teams (are) working flat out to ensure finality to this noble cause. Engagements of such a noble cause are never a matter to be driven by duress or external occurrences or happenings in other political formations,” Nyandoro said, adding “working together is a matter no-longer for debate but it’s just a question of implementation”.
With Tsvangirai having already been endorsed as presidential candidate for the MDC Alliance comprising of seven opposition parties, leaving Mujuru clutching at straws, Nyandoro was quick to slam doomsayers.
Mujuru did not attend a rally convened by members of the MDC Alliance at which Tsvangirai’s candidature was confirmed, drawing criticism from critics and supporters alike. The coalition process, however, has been beset by problems after violence broke out between rival MDC-T factions leaving leading figures among them party vice-president Thokozani Khupe, national chairman Lovemore Moyo and organising secretary Abednico Bhebhe assaulted by party youths.
BY RICHARD CHIDZA
