Zanu PF kills for power – Siwela

Politics
Chances of any coalition of political parties ousting Zanu PF in the next elections were slim because the former ruling party uses “terrorist tactics” to maintain grip on power.

BULAWAYO — Chances of any coalition of political parties ousting Zanu PF in the next elections were slim because the former ruling party uses “terrorist tactics” to maintain grip on power, leader of the Matabeleland Liberation Organisation (MLO), Paul Siwela said last week.

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His comments come following calls for all political parties in the country to unite to enable them to unseat President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF, which has been ruling since independence in 1980. The main political parties in the country include MDC-T, MDC, Zapu and Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn.

MDC-T secretary-general, Tendai Biti late last year also said only a determined coalition of political parties would unseat Mugabe, who has ruling the country uninterrupted for the past three decades.

However, Siwela said Zanu PF would unleash terror against any coalition in any election in order to remain in power.

The former ruling party failed to transform from being a “terrorist group of 1970s into a democratic party” that could govern the country where elections are freely and fairly contested.

“Zanu PF would always revert to terrorism to maintain grip on power,” said Siwela. “Zanu PF cannot countenance losing power through electoral process. So any coalition would not achieve anything because Zanu PF would rather kill for power.”

The MDC-T has said at least 200 of its activists were killed by Zanu PF youth militia and State security agents during the 2008 violent elections.

But Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo dismissed Siwela’s assertion that the former ruling party, which lost the majority in Parliament in 2008 election, was a terrorist organisation.

Gumbo however, vowed that Zanu PF would still defeat all parties whether they formed a coalition or not.

“Even if they come together, we will still defeat them. We are not worried,” said Gumbo. “Zanu PF is geared for elections and victory is certain.”

Although calls for an electoral pact among political parties are getting stronger, the Welshman Ncube-led MDC has said it would not unite with MDC-T because they have different values and principles.

MDC split with MDC-T, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, in 2005 over whether or not to participate in the senatorial elections.