The still highly-regarded Moyo, who now leads the
opposition United Movement for Devolution(UMD) party, told the Daily News
yesterday that dialogue would end the current political tensions in the
country.
This comes as attempts to have Mnangagwa, new opposition
leader Douglas Mwonzora and Nelson Chamisa to talk to each other in the
interest of the country and its long-suffering citizens have gathered steam in
recent weeks.
“National dialogue is not a panacea for the multitude of
problems faced by Zimbabwe. But it will certainly loosen the political tensions
that currently exist between the governing and the governed.
“My well-considered view is that national dialogue is an
important component of nation building.
“In that regard, there is nothing wrong when an incumbent
government, together with its citizens, decides to undertake a process of
nation building and social cohesion to achieve unity of purpose,” Moyo told the
Daily News.
However, he observed that the calls for a national dialogue
lacked “clarity, substance, purpose and ownership”.
“Further, the calls for a national dialogue pre-suppose
that there is a convergence that a national crisis indeed does exist that the
incumbent government has failed to resolve.
“Unfortunately, in this instance, opposition parties seem
to be the ones desperately calling for a national dialogue. For whose benefit,
I really don’t know?
“It is extremely difficult to make a constructive
contribution when the advocates have not put on the table the structure and
intended benefits for the people of Zimbabwe,” Moyo further told the Daily
News.
The former MDC chairperson during its heydays, when its
much-loved and now late founding father Morgan Tsvangirai was in charge, also
warned that it would be wrong to have another government of national unity
(GNU) in the country.
“I fully support dialogue on the promotion of good
governance, political and constitutional reforms.
“However, I don’t see the value of consummating another GNU
which, in my view, will dismally fail like the previous one that failed to
change the Zanu PF governing culture and … to enact laws that promote democracy
during its lifetime,” he said.
This comes as Zimbabwe’s top clerics are set to meet this
week to help kick-start the much-talked about national dialogue.
It also comes as political analysts such as professor of
World Politics at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African
Studies (OAS), Stephen Chan, have said dialogue remains the best way to end
Zimbabwe’s decades-long crises.
“The situation in Zimbabwe is dire, so that posturing is
simply futile. I think everyone is slowly coming to the realisation that
dialogue is unavoidable.
“Certainly, the view in the international community is that
talks that are unconditional — on all sides — open and transparent, should take
place.
“Inclusive means inclusive. The MDC has split. It cannot at
this moment be repaired. Both factions need to have a place at the talks,” the
respected Chan told the Daily News earlier this week.
“No power to help Zimbabwe exists on any side, except
through careful and detailed expert planning that is also negotiable with the
donor community and lending agencies of the outside world.
“The economy is front, back and centre of all of Zimbabwe’s
problems. Closely linked to that is, of course, the dire problem of corruption.
“And I have often suggested the Kariba Houseboat model. The
principal players should simply go off to Kariba, take a houseboat out into the
lake and stay there for an entire weekend once every month — finding, via
informal means, common ground.
“No one should take credit for any successful plans. There
should just be agreement on how best to go forward,” Chan further told the
Daily News.
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