MAIN opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa plans a
charm offensive against President Emmerson Mnangagwa to pressure the region and
the international community to force national dialogue to resolve the country's
deepening political and economic crisis.
The move comes after the MDC Alliance accused Mnangagwa of
blocking special envoys dispatched by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
at the weekend from meeting the opposition's leader .
The South African envoys Baleka Mbete, Ngoako Ramatlhodi
and Sydney Mufamadi flew out of Harare on Tuesday without meeting the MDC Alliance
leader despite scheduling an appointment.
They had also promised to meet civic society leaders but
left the country after meeting Mnangagwa only.
In an interview with NewsDay yesterday, Gladys Hlatswayo,
the MDC Alliance secretary for foreign relations said mediation can only happen
if Chamisa explains the situation obtaining in the country to the outside
world.
"The MDC Alliance was not snubbed by the envoys
because they had contacted us to schedule a meeting on Monday, August 10,"
Hlatswayo said.
"What we know is Zanu-PF is not keen on admitting that
there is a crisis in Zimbabwe and subsequently working towards a solution to
that crisis."
"I make reference to the first statement by Zanu-PF's
Chinamasa that was full of tantrums and insulted ANC [African National
Congress] for taking a principled position in support of the battered and
suffering masses of Zimbabwe.
"We, therefore, know that the meetings were stopped by
Mr Mnangagwa."
Last week Zanu-PF reacted angrily to African National
Congress secretary general Ace Magashule's television interview, in which he
said South Africa's ruling party was engaging Mnangagwa over reports of massive
human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.
Mnangagwa's spokesperson George Charamba was yesterday
unavailable for comment.
Hlatswayo insisted that following the aborted meeting with
the South African envoys, MDC Alliance will now maintain diplomatic pressure to
make President Mnangagwa bow down to calls for crisis dialogue.
"We shall continue to build pressure both in and
outside our borders to have a credible national dialogue that is mediated in
order to achieve comprehensive reforms, including a new social contract, ending
the economic and humanitarian crisis, electoral reforms, media reforms, ending
international isolation and addressing past human rights violations,"
Hlatswayo said.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is yet to issue a
statement on discussions made between his envoys and Mnangagwa. Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment