MDC leader Douglas Mwonzora says he wants to engage key opposition figures, including former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leaders Nelson Chamisa, Tendai Biti and Job Sikhala, in talks aimed at building a strong and united political force ahead of the 2028 general elections.
Other opposition figures Mwonzora said he intends to approach include Linda Masarira, Welshman Ncube, Elias Mudzuri and Morgen Komichi.
However, his call for forgiveness and unity is likely to be met with scepticism from sections of the opposition and its supporters, many of whom accuse Mwonzora of playing a central role in the fragmentation and weakening of what was once a formidable opposition under the MDC banner.
Addressing a press conference in Harare on Tuesday, Mwonzora said he would seek a meeting with Chamisa and other former MDC leaders and activists as part of a broader strategy to rebuild a credible opposition movement.
“We want to build a formidable opposition, and for that to happen, we cannot have small political parties. We must be able to forgive one another,” Mwonzora said.
“If we could sit down with Zanu-PF in 2008 after it had murdered more than 300 of our finest youngsters, why can we not meet with Biti, Komichi or Chamisa?” he asked.
Mwonzora also announced that the MDC was declaring a “general amnesty” for former members and supporters wishing to return to the party.
“We have decided to open the doors for every person who wants to come back to the MDC. However, we will not allow a hostile takeover of our party,” he said.
Mwonzora’s leadership has remained controversial, particularly following his role in the recall of dozens of opposition Members of Parliament and councillors from Parliament and local authorities. The recalls were widely seen as having benefited the ruling Zanu-PF by weakening the opposition’s presence in key democratic institutions.
The move plunged the MDC into a prolonged internal crisis and ultimately led Chamisa to abandon the party brand, paving the way for the formation of the Citizens Coalition for Change in early 2022.
While the CCC went on to dominate opposition politics, Mwonzora’s MDC struggled to regain public support and electoral relevance. The party, which once mobilised millions of voters under the late Morgan Tsvangirai, has since been reduced to a marginal political force on Zimbabwe’s political landscape.
Mwonzora said rebuilding opposition unity was critical if the ruling party was to be effectively challenged in future elections, but it remains unclear whether former allies-turned-rivals will respond positively to his overtures.
Source – newzimbabwe
