Addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Zanu PF
spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa said the ruling party was open for talks
with Chamisa on condition he disassociates himself from statements made by Lord
Jonathan Oaths in the British House of Lords supporting him.
“We call upon the CCC to order and distance themselves from
John Oath’s statements. How do we negotiate with you when you are associated
with such statements? Chamisa should be patriotic by distancing himself from
such statements if he is willing to talk to us,” Mutsvangwa said.
In 2008, Zanu PF entered into talks with the then MDC led
by the late trade unionist Morgan Tsvangirai following the disputed harmonised
elections, resulting in the formation of an inclusive government.
The unity government brought relative stability as the
economy dollarised after world record-breaking hyperinflation made the Zimbabwe
dollar worthless.
There are mounting calls for the country to dollarise as
inflation creeps towards hyper levels, racing to 96,4% last week.
Oates told the British Parliament that the March 26
by-elections were held in an unlevel electoral field against Chamisa’s CCC with
Douglas Mwonzora’s MDC Alliance, which he described as a Zanu PF project,
having it easy.
“In those elections, the main opposition party was denied
the right even to use its own name in these elections or to access the public
funds it was entitled to,” Oates said.
However, Mutsvangwa said Oates had no business “poking his
nose” into the country’s affairs.
“For a British Lord to have the temerity that we don’t like
Douglas Mwonzora (MDC Alliance leader)
because he is not opposed to Zanu PF the way we like Chamisa, that is the
height of imperial arrogance and that is unacceptable.
“We appeal to the opposition and in particular
Chamisa. This is the occasion the CCC
must make a decision. There is a duty to choose the flag or the country over
anything else,” Mutsvangwa said.
However, CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziba said
the opposition party was not interested in having any talks with Zanu PF,
saying: “We have never pushed for dialogue with Zanu PF, but for a national
dialogue including the churches. The
Zanu PF government is not legitimate. It has been rejected by the Western
community. Mnangagwa is not legitimate, and no one wants to be associated with
Mnangagwa’s government.”
Chamisa insists that Mnangagwa rigged the 2018 elections in
his favour, and has refused to recognise his legitimacy even after the
Constitutional Court dismissed his court challenge.
“Zanu PF must make sure to resolve legitimate issues and
they should stop the abuse of citizens and they are the perpetrators of
violence,” Siziba added.
Meanwhile, Mutsvangwa said Zanu PF will use its
parliamentary majority soon to railroad the controversial Private Voluntary
Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill which seeks to regulate civic society
organisations and non-governmental organisations including independent trusts.
Zanu PF often accuses NGOs and civic society organisations
of being foreign funded to push a regime change agenda.
Critics have dismissed the PVO Bill as an attempt by
Mnangagwa to silence critics, civic groups and NGOs which have exposed
corruption, misgovernance and spoken out against human rights abuses. Newsday
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