Zimbabwe's 2018 polls: a battle of good versus evil – opposition chief

Former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai, has stated that the 2018 presidential elections was not just between him and incumbent Robert Mugabe, but one about good and evil.

The 65-year-old former Prime Minister was addressing supporters of his party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) during a rally held at the Mkoba stadium in Gweru – located in the country’s center.

‘‘We are in this coalition with our partners and we are not coming together to compete among ourselves. This election is not between Mugabe and Morgan, but between evil and good. Our partners in the coalition should know our strategic objective that of removing Mugabe and his Zanu PF,’‘ he said.

As expected, he chastised the ruling party (Zanu PF) accusing them to running down the economy which the opposition coalition was going to turn around after winning the polls. He also reiterated calls for reforms ahead of the vote because as he put it, ‘This is a political and technical election.’

Pictures showed former Vice-President Joyce Mujuru was in attendance as well as other members of the coalition. Tsvangirai was prime minister in a coalition government with Mugabe from 2009 until 2013. Whiles Mujuru served as Mugabe’s vice president for a decade until she was fired in 2014.

Thank you for coming in your numbers, Gweru madadisa. pic.twitter.com/SfBt18fu73

— Morgan Tsvangirai (@mrtsvangirai) June 10, 2017

It is not yet clear how many party are in the coalition but it is seen as the best way to defeat Mugabe who has been the only president the southern African nation has known since independence in 1980.

In December 2016, his ZANU PF party confirmed him as its candidate for the next presidential election expected in mid-2018, when he will be 94.

Tsvangirai, a three time loser to Mugabe in presidential polls, has previously said he expected similar deals to the one with Mujuru to be struck with other political groups. It is also yet to be decided how the coalition will elect its flagbearer, a race most likely to be between Tsvangirai and Mujuru.