Zimbabwe president says no to coalition with opposition

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday said he did not want to form a coalition government with the opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change-Tsvangirai (MDC-T).

According to Xinhua, this was announced after the president visited the ailing MDC-T leader and former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai at his Harare residence.

Tsvangirai suffered from colon cancer in 2015 and had been receiving medical treatment in South Africa.

"He is fine. He is recuperating well and he says he will soon again go back for another medical check-up in South Africa," President Mnangagwa said, after the meeting with Tsvangirai.

The Zimbabwean president also clarified there was no need to form a coalition government with Tsvangirai's MDC-T.

"We are a democratic country. People can lobby for anything, but currently there is no need," he said.

Tsvangirai was the prime minister of Zimbabwe between 2009 and 2013 and shared power with former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe in a coalition government.

It may be noted that in December last year, Mugabe, after 37 years in power, resigned, after the army and his ruling ZANU-PF party turned against him due to his dictatorial rule.