But the project faces stumbling blocks similar to those that precluded the re-uniting of the two MDC factions and seemingly irreparable ideological and political differences.
This comes after former Economics minister Nkosana Moyo, who is Makoni’s national coordinator, told journalists in South Africa that Tsvangirai and Makoni would form an alliance if yesterday’s poll failed to come up with a winner and there would be need for a rerun. But our investigations reveal that it would not be easy to strike a deal between Tsvangirai and Makoni.
The Mbeki team was, according to sources, trying to convince Tsvangirai to accept and make a commitment to the deal, which the MDC leader has been reluctant to jump into doing and is full aware he can only decide having consulted the party leadership and even maybe gone down to the grassroots to consult.
It is a minefield for Morgan, a reliable source said. It is more challenging and risky than the Mutambara faction issue or even the one on whether or not we had to participate in the elections. You can imagine how serious some people view the issue of just going into a deal with Makoni, who is Zanu (PF) and has not been clear about his real agenda in this whole presidential election issue.
Moyo’s utterances came as a surprise with Makoni having consistently maintained during interviews and rallies that he was not interested in negotiating any alliance deal and repeating his somewhat baseless claim that I am in alliance with the whole country.
Mbeki is keen on solving the country’s political crisis and now believes that a government of national unity involving Tsvangirai and Makoni would provide the solution, apparently having given up on Mugabe and having created the Makoni project as the Third Force. Mbeki’s major headache if the prospect of having the crisis here persist and posing a threat to his country’s hosting of the 2010 soccer World Cup.
Post published in: News