PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has described MDC leader
Nelson Chamisa as being impossible after the youthful opposition politician
snubbed his Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) to solve the country’s crippling
economic crisis.
In a lengthy letter to the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian
Denominations, which had written to him asking for dialogue between the two
main parties to pull the nation from the dark hole, Mnangagwa said he could not
dance to pre-conditions set by Chamisa for national engagement.
He, instead, implored the church leaders to talk to Chamisa
and convince him to join the ongoing Polad meetings that the Zanu PF leader is
holding with other fringe opposition parties.
“I, as leader of Zanu PF, and as the President-elect,
called for harmony and dialogue in our nation, including pointedly calling on,
and inviting the leader of the MDC, Advocate Nelson Chamisa, to come on board
in amity and brotherhood, to rebuild our broken peace, and reunite our people
in order to take our nation forward. Specifically and pointedly, I called upon
the two of us to lead by example and show Zimbabweans that peace is paramount,”
Mnangagwa said.
In the spirit of building bridges, Mnangagwa said he
offered Chamisa an official position as the leader of the opposition and
invited him to join the national inclusive dialogue of all political leaders
which he spurned.
“The MDC leader is still to requite my goodwill, so
repeatedly and unconditionally expressed and extended. Much worse, he is still
to respect the legitimate will of the Zimbabwean people as expressed in the
results of the 2018 elections,” Mnangagwa said.
“Still, I assure you and the Heads of Christian
Denominations, that I personally will not tire of going the extra mile for the
sake of peace and unity in our nation. The doors of national dialogue remain
wide open to all political leaders, including the MDC, which dialogue must be
without pre-conditions or any sense of preferential entitlement or recognition
on any one’s part, including myself.”
Chamisa has refused to be part of Mnangagwa’s talks, saying
genuine engagement should be led by a neutral convener at a neutral venue.
Turning to the economy, Mnangagwa said the current
hardships are unavoidable if a better tomorrow has to be created. “We must
continue on the path or reforms in spite of temporary hardships for a better
tomorrow. Indeed, the signs of recovery and positive growth are now ample, with
clear indications that more jobs are now being created the ever before,” he said.
Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment