NAP
founder
and
president
Divine
Mhambi-Hove
said
his
party
was
not
involved
in
the
move
and
had
no
intention
of
aligning
itself
with
the
governing
party,
insisting
it
would
continue
to
operate
as
an
opposition
force.
POLAD
is
a
government-backed
platform
bringing
together
17
political
parties
that
contested
the
2018
harmonised
elections.
It
was
established
by
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
to
promote
dialogue
between
the
government
and
opposition
parties
on
national
challenges.
In
a
statement,
Mr
Mhambi-Hove
said
NAP
was
guided
by
what
he
described
as
five
“non-negotiable”
pillars
that
defined
its
political
identity
and
long-term
goals.
He
said
one
of
the
party’s
core
principles
was
the
pursuit
of
colonial
restitution,
including
economic
redress
for
communal
and
rural
communities
affected
by
historical
dispossession.
“Merging
with
the
political
establishment
would
undermine
our
mission
and
weaken
efforts
to
address
historical
injustices,”
he
said.
Mr
Mhambi-Hove
also
said
the
party
believed
effective
political
accountability
required
remaining
outside
the
ruling
party.
“Checks
and
balances
are
essential
to
a
functional
democracy,
and
these
would
be
dismantled
if
opposition
voices
are
absorbed
into
the
establishment,”
he
said.
On
constitutional
issues,
NAP
reiterated
its
opposition
to
any
proposal
to
extend
the
presidential
term
limit
to
2030,
a
subject
that
has
generated
debate
in
Zimbabwean
politics.
“We
are
committed
to
defending
constitutional
term
limits,
which
are
a
cornerstone
of
democratic
governance
and
political
stability,”
Mr
Mhambi-Hove
said.
He
also
criticised
what
he
described
as
the
“suspicious
distribution”
of
luxury
vehicles
by
ruling
party-linked
benefactors,
arguing
that
such
resources
should
instead
be
directed
towards
public
services.
“These
resources
should
be
channelled
into
fixing
dilapidated
roads,
equipping
hospitals
with
medication
and
revitalising
public
services,
rather
than
being
wasted
on
political
handouts,”
he
said.
Mhambi-Hove
said
NAP’s
manifesto
offered
voters
a
“genuine
alternative”
to
the
current
political
order,
adding
that
joining
the
ruling
party
would
dilute
its
message
and
compromise
its
vision
for
national
development.