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PDP’s deputy president, Cde Kucaca Phulu

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
OPPOSITION parties’ touted coalition is collapsing with People’s Democratic Party (PDP) nominating candidates to run for parliamentary seats in Bulawayo.

The decision to fill all the 12 Bulawayo seats came at a time when the PDP which is led by Mr Tendai Biti is involved in coalition negotiations with other political parties under Coalition of Democrats (CODE) and MDC Alliance.

The negotiations, if successful will entail sharing of seats, hence anger in opposition circles over the PDP’s latest move.

The PDP spent the Heroes’ and Defence Forces holidays, introducing to the electorate its party members who will contest in Bulawayo in next year’s elections.

This has caused tension among CODE members under which the PDP falls.

Other opposition parties argue that the PDP has jumped the gun in nominating its aspiring MPs before negotiations have been concluded.

PDP’s deputy president Mr Kucaca Phulu who will be contesting in Bulawayo Central yesterday defended his party’s decision to nominate candidates saying coalition talks were moving at a chameleon’s pace yet elections were fast approaching. “As we speak we are going towards elections and every party ought to be organised and have a candidate for MP, a candidate for councillor. Elections may be called in March or in September we don’t know. We need to move beyond these discussions,” he said.

“We need to get over these talks. We are taking too long talking, we need to start working. This is why over the holidays we have been having activities instead of just discussions.”

However, Zapu president Dr Dumiso Dabengwa whose party also falls under the CODE umbrella said the PDP jumped the gun by allocating all the seats to its members.

“Basuke babalewala but sizaqoqa (they jumped the gun but we will sort it out). Do you think that what they have done cannot be changed? Even if they have started to allocate that’s not cast in stone. I hope they are very clear in allocating seats that there is a possibility of some changes,” said Dr Dabengwa.

He said it has become clearer to CODE members that Mr Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC-T was slowly luring his former colleagues back to the party.

He said it was worrying that they spent two years with parties such as the MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube negotiating only for the party do ditch them at the eleventh hour.

MDC-T which is not part of CODE and is pushing for the MDC Alliance said it was not moved by the PDP’S move.

MDC-T spokesperson Mr Obert Gutu said: “Coalition negotiations are a marathon never a sprint. A lot of things are happening and I’m on record saying we don’t need to negotiate in the public domain. I hope the media bears with us.” — @nqotshili