Confusion Over ZANU PF And MDC Alliance Equivalence

The president of the MDC Alliance, Nelson Chamisa has suggested that if the MDC Alliance is not a party, then ZANU PF is also not a party since the basis for disqualifying MDC Alliance is that it is an alliance between two or more parties.

His remarks come amid disagreements over the Supreme Court ruling on the MDC leadership crisis that did not recognise the MDC Alliance as a party despite participating in the 2018 elections. Chamisa tweeted:

Is Zanu pf not a political party because it is an alliance or a unity accord between Zanu and Zapu??

In response to advocate Chamisa’s tweet another legal expert, David Hofisi said the comparison was wrong. He said:

False equivalence Cde President. The alliance was called Patriotic Front which reverted to its constituent parties after Lancaster just as MDC Alliance partners after elections. In ’87, (PF) ZAPU joined ZANU (PF) party just as PDP & MDC-Green/Ncube joined main MDC/MDC-T party.

The MDC Alliance, an opposition coalition, was formed in 2017 and it consisted of the MDC-Ncube, Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC–T), the Tendai Biti-led People’s Democratic Party, Ngarivhume-led Transform Zimbabwe, Agrippa Mutambara-led Zimbabwe People First and others.

Some parties including Transform Zimbabwe have since left the pact while Biti’s PDP and the MDC-T (not Tkokozani Khupe’s) re-united under the original party name, the MDC after the election.

More: Nelson Chamisa; David Tinashe Hofisi