Government says national political dialogue recently
launched by President Mnangagwa was not a power sharing negotiation or an
initiative towards the creation of Government of National Unity (GNU), but a
platform to engender a culture of unity and working together in the country.
The State is also regretting the actions of certain
political actors who seek to project Zimbabwe as beset by “unresolved political
questions” when last year’s elections and a Constitutional Court ruling on the
Presidential put to bed the issue of the country’s leadership.
Zanu-PF, led by President Mnangagwa won the harmonised
elections, beating the opposition MDC-Alliance led by Mr Nelson Chamisa who
has, however, continued politicking and electioneering on the basis of what he
calls “crisis of legitimacy”.
In a meeting with local media editors yesterday, Minister
of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa said challenges confronting the country require
collective efforts and a unity of purpose at all levels, which was the basis of
national dialogue.
“It is for this noble cause that His Excellency, the
President, called for national dialogue across all political parties so we put
our minds together to confront our challenges and work as a nation to move the
country forward.
“I want to take this opportunity to clarify that dialogue
is not the same thing with power sharing negotiations. Every time we go for
elections to elect a government, losers selectively choose components of the
election results to accept and reject,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
President Mnangagwa has initiated engagements with
political parties that participated in last year’s harmonised elections. At least 18 political parties are participating in national
dialogue.
MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa has declined the opportunity
to participate in dialogue, but when addressing his party supporters, he never
misses an opportunity to suggest that dialogue was the best way forward for the
country.
Minister Mutsvangwa added: “We have individuals and parties
that choose to disrespect the electoral and judicial systems for their selfish
ends. Such uncouth behaviour projects our country as a nation with unresolved
political questions when deep down their hearts, these entities and
personalities know very well that they lost in a fair and credible plebiscite.
“Politics leads the way in statecraft and if we are not
stable as people all other areas in the country will not become stable.
“Such behaviour is holding us back as a nation as it
stifles our re-engagement efforts and will make recovery more painful. We need
to get out of the election mode that continues to seize us and work together to
build our country. However, dialogue which is underpinned by sharing of ideas
to come up with national solutions is plausible and welcome.”
Turning to yesterday’s meeting with editors, Minister
Mutsvangwa said the major objective was to share ideas on the main issues
affecting the media sector.
This was the second time she has met with local editors
since her appointment as minister last year.
She said it was now more than six months since that meeting
and a lot of developments had happened, warranting that they meet again to
update each other on gains made thus far, the drawbacks or shortfalls
encountered and to hear their concerns and contributions as a way of
collectively reflecting and review their progress.
Minister Mutsvangwa said this would help in mapping the
best way to confront the future for increased efficiency and effectiveness in
the discharge of their information mandate.
She said Government efforts to create an enabling
environment for the media sector puts substantial responsibility of governance
into their hands.
“The media has in modern times been referred to as the
Fourth Estate, taking after the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.
This was necessitated by the important role the media sector plays in nation
building. Allow me to share with you that the issue of nation-building is to a
greater extent driven by the notion of national interest.
She added, “Whilst we have a role to inform the nation for
nation-building, we should also be conscious as media that we have a national
duty to play in advancing that national interest which I said should be about
promoting viewpoints that guarantee national survival.
“I implore you to write to unite the nation, write about
that which does not harm the nation, write to protect Zimbabwe’s
competitiveness and that which promotes the interest of the country whilst
exposing that which harms us as a people.”
Minister Mutsvangwa told editors that the Second Republic
was committed to creating an enabling media environment. Herald
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