Mlondolozi Ndlovu

The newly formed Renewal for Democrats (RDZ) party will on 23 and 24 October host its inaugural congress at the Harare Exhibition Park where Elton Mangoma is expected to be elected President uncontested.

The RDZ is a breakaway faction from the MDC Renewal led by Tendai Biti which was also an offshoot from the Morgan Tsvangirai led MDC-T.

The party’s spokesperson Pishai Muchauraya revealed at a press conference that the party was ready to take the political landscape by storm saying much work will start after the congress.

Muchauraya said the congress follows the party’s Youth and Women’s congress held in August.

“We have held successful youth congress on the 15th and women’s congress on the 29th of August 2015. We are setting a new standard for the democratization of Zimbabwe” said Muchauraya.

He said his party was expecting over 2000 delegates from across the country for the congress, which among other things will discuss the party’s constitution, symbol manifesto and economic policy.

Asked on the much hyped coalition the party’s spokesperson said they will only unite with ‘like minded’ democrats and ruled out any possibilities of having a coalition with Mai Mujuru’s People First party.

“We will only get into a coalition with people whom we share the same principles and the same values. If people have same principles and values we will unite. It’s difficult to unite with people who burnt people’s houses”, he said.

Muchauraya further said his party was ready and confident they would win the 2018 elections despite the unfair level playing field for elections.

“What must change is the practice. If the laws we have are implemented we are okay. We will participate in the elections with the reason that we defeat Zanu PF” he emphasized.

He further revealed that the party was a modern nationalist and believes in Pan-Africanism that will bring an ‘alternative ideas in Zimbabwe.’