Principals of the parties that formed the Movement for Democracy Change Alliance on Saturday today met to “plot the signposts” to next year’s elections, Morgan Tsvangirai’s spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka said in a statement.
Seven parties formed the Alliance but Tamborinyoka did not state whether all the parties were represented.
There were media reports today that Tendai Biti’s Progressive Democratic Party was not part of the Alliance but attended Saturday’s launch in solidarity with Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai’s deputy Thokozani Khupe and other senior party officials in Bulawayo were assaulted at the weekend for not attending the launch leading to the suspension of five MDC-T officials.
Tamborinyoka said the meeting was in compliance with the agreement signed by the parties which stipulated that the party leaders should meet as the Coalition Principals’ Forum.
“The leaders focused their attention today on plotting the signposts to 2018 by outlining key programmes of action which will be elaborated on and implemented by the various committees of the Alliance,” Tamborinyoka said.
“The leaders agreed to proceed with provincial launches of the MDC Alliance, with the next one scheduled for Bulawayo on Saturday, 26 August 2017.”
The Alliance is made up of Tsvangirai’s MDC, Transform Zimbabwe, Welshman Ncube’s MDC, Zimbabwe People First, the Multi-Racial Christian Democratic Party, People’s Democratic Party and ZANU-Ndonga.
MDC Alliance principals meet in Harare
The MDC Alliance has hit the ground running when President Tsvangirai today convened the first meeting of the Coalition Principal’s Forum following the formation by agreement of the MDC Alliance on August 5, 2017 at Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield, Harare.
The agreement, under clause 5.2 provides for the establishment of this Forum which must be attended by all the alliance party Presidents and by invitation anyone else the Presidents so choose. For inter party communication and implementation of Alliance programmes, the Secretaries General of the Alliance parties attend the meetings by invitation.
The leaders focused their attention today on plotting the signposts to 2018 by outlining key programmes of action which will be elaborated on and implemented by the various committees of the Alliance.
The leaders agreed to proceed with provincial launches of the MDC Alliance, with the next one scheduled for Bulawayo on Saturday, 26 August 2017.
The MDC Alliance is the first comprehensive post independence-non-compete electoral alliance in Zimbabwe. The alliance is a composite political cooperation agreement between seven parties who agreed to cooperate on three areas namely:
1. Electoral Reforms
The parties agreed to work together in campaigning for electoral reforms to ensure that the next elections are held under free and fair conditions
2. Pre-election Non-compete Electoral Alliance and Post Election Coalition government framework
The parties agreed to form a non-compete pre-election alliance and a post election Coalition Government by selecting one Presidential candidate in President Tsvangirai and one Parliamentary and local government candidate per contested seat distributed amongst the parties on the basis of electoral strength.
Transformation Policy Agenda
The parties also developed and signed up to a comprehensive transformation policy agenda to address the political, social and economic challenges facing the country under the terms and conditions of the Composite Political Cooperation Agreement(CPCA) which they have executed.
At the heart of the transformation agenda is the commitment by the parties to prioritize good governance as a key foundational cornerstone of government, with special emphasis on transparency, zero-tolerance to corruption, accountability, strict fidelity to constitutionalism, the rule of law, respect for and promotion of human rights.
Today’s meeting of the MDC Alliance principals signals the first solidification of the co-operative agenda of the coalition, the first such coalition in post-independent Zimbabwe.
Luke Tamborinyoka
Presidential spokesperson and Director of Communications
