Lusaka - An alliance between Zambia's ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party and the official opposition, Multi-party Democracy (MMD) seems to be set in stone as leaders have agreed to partner up ahead of the country's presidential elections on August 11. According to a local newspaper The Post MMD has resolved to go ahead with a merger between itself and the PF party.

The development comes just days after Zambian President Edgar Lungu announced that he would be seeking a pact between the two parties in order to secure a 50% plus one threshold in the upcoming polls. The proposed merger comes in direct opposition to a statement released previously by PF Secretary General Davies Chama, quashing rumours that a pact between the two organisations was imminent.

MMD has also previously blasted the claims, labelling the ruling party as "desperate" and "frantic".

According to a Lusaka Times report, MMD National Youth Treasurer Lengwe Bwalya claimed that cracks were beginning to show in the PF, prompting the party's sudden and erratic need of a merger in order to secure victory in the presidential polls. MMD has since reneged on Bwalya's statement, saying that a pact between the two parties is "workable".

Vincent Mwale, MMD Chipangali Member of Parliament, recently endorsed the planned alliance, disclosing that the parties had worked closely before and could make a success of the venture this time around, Zambia Reports revealed.

The two partners have yet to meet to negotiate the terms of their proposed partnership.

News24
Sourcewww.news24.com/Africa/News/zambian-opposition-mmd-to-partner-with-ruling-pf-20160202