ZAPU to forge poll alliance with MDC

By Tichaona Sibanda
11 January 2008

The ZAPU-Federal Party, led by Paul Siwela, will forge an alliance with the Tsvangirai MDC to fight the forthcoming parliamentary and presidential elections.

Siwela said they decided to form an alliance with the MDC because they shared similar views on issues related to the dire political and economic situation in the country.

He said his party will convene a congress at the end of this month to ratify this pact, after which he would try to convince other like-minded political parties to join in the alliance to form a united front against Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu-PF party.

This is the first confirmed alliance and others are expected in the coming weeks, as opposition parties’ band together under a proposed MDC united front or a coalition.

The two factions of the MDC have already made contact on the issue and are expected to meet soon to finalise a deal on reunification. It is no secret that the MDC led by Professor Arthur Mutambara enjoys considerable support in the two Matebeleland provinces, while Tsvangirai’s faction commands enormous support in the rest of the country.

Siwela said he sees a united front as a significant development in the country’s politics. It was a united front that catapulted Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki into power five years ago, under a coalition of parties.

His National Rainbow Coalition party swept to victory in Kenya’s elections, defeating the Kanu party, which had run the country since independence in 1963. Robert Mugabe has run Zimbabwe since independence in 1980 and analysts believe that a carefully worked out coalition could spell trouble for the 83 year-old leader who has been ruling the country with an iron fist.