News / National
'Mnangagwa, Chamisa headed for power-sharing deal'
05 Aug 2018 at 14:12hrs | Views
Zimbabwe could be headed for a power-sharing deal after President Emmerson Mnangagwa's contested narrow win, which perpetuated Zanu-PF's 38-year rule, political analysts have said.
Mnangagwa won with 50,8 percent of the votes, defeating MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa, who got 44,9 percent of the votes. However, Chamisa insists he won the elections by a huge margin, arguing that the election results were twisted in favour of Mnangagwa.
Political analysts believe for Zimbabwe to move forward there is need for the leaders to work together, due to the contested election results and the fact that Zimbabwe is a heavily volatile state.
Political analyst Eldred Masunungure, however, told the Daily News the elections outcome showed that Zimbabwe is heavily polarized and needs national healing and reconciliation, which can only be achieved if the political parties work together.
"What can be done is that we need to retrace events of the recent past and create something like a Government of National Unity (GNU).
"A GNU, however, is not a panacea to the economic problems in the country, it's just a transitional mechanism.
"It is a bridging gap between ‘us and them'. There is a big gap between ‘us and them'. There is a lot of nostalgia among Zimbabweans. If the political leaders could swallow their pride to work for the good of the country.
"I would suggest a GNU in the interim for two to three years or even five years. Zimbabwe needs national healing and that cannot be done outside the coalition. The spirit of working together needs to be actualised, and that is one of the key interventions," Masunungure said.
Another political analyst Brian Kagoro said there was need for the opposition political leaders to exercise maturity in light of the outcome.
"#AfricanLivesMatter Given the declared dispute regarding the announced results, the entire leadership of the opposition must quickly convene - tell each other off if necessary - smoke the peace pipe, find issues of common concern & act as a united front. Show leadership & maturity!" he wrote on his Twitter page.
His sentiments resonated with those of Maxwell Saungweme, who said there is need for the opposition to introspect on the outcome of the elections.
"When things stabilise in the near future, let's engage objectively on, political parties-constitution making process vs people-driven process, Mugabe's kiss of death, support for coup, and lack of internal democracy & tolerance in opposition and how they have led to this outcome!" he said on Twitter.
Clergyman and businessperson Shingi Munyeza, on the other hand, said Mnangagwa must try to unite the people.
"?Mr President-elect: 49,2 percent of the voters do not like you - unite us, our skill is in urban whilst our resources are in rural - bring equity, make us trust you - show transparency & accountability, you are of an older generation - empower the youths," he wrote on his Twitter account.
Zimbabwe has once been under a GNU between 2009 and 2013, when the ruling Zanu-PF government was under former president Robert Mugabe, while MDC was being led by its late founding president Morgan Tsvangirai.
The unity government was set up following a disputed election in 2008.
In 2008 Mugabe got 43 percent, while the MDC front man garnered 47 percent. Tsvangirai failed to garner enough votes to enable him to form the next government, which resulted in an election run-off.
He pulled out of the run-off following violent attacks on his supporters.
Both Mugabe and Tsvangirai were not on this year's ballot paper for the first time in nearly two decades.
Mugabe resigned from power last November following an army intervention which catapulted Emmerson Mnangagwa to the presidency, while Tsvangirai died in February from colon cancer.
The violent activities witnessed in 2008 have not been addressed to ensure a full reconciliatory process and they still haunt the country up to this day, something that has made it difficult for Zimbabweans to work together as a united force.
Mnangagwa won with 50,8 percent of the votes, defeating MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa, who got 44,9 percent of the votes. However, Chamisa insists he won the elections by a huge margin, arguing that the election results were twisted in favour of Mnangagwa.
Political analysts believe for Zimbabwe to move forward there is need for the leaders to work together, due to the contested election results and the fact that Zimbabwe is a heavily volatile state.
Political analyst Eldred Masunungure, however, told the Daily News the elections outcome showed that Zimbabwe is heavily polarized and needs national healing and reconciliation, which can only be achieved if the political parties work together.
"What can be done is that we need to retrace events of the recent past and create something like a Government of National Unity (GNU).
"A GNU, however, is not a panacea to the economic problems in the country, it's just a transitional mechanism.
"It is a bridging gap between ‘us and them'. There is a big gap between ‘us and them'. There is a lot of nostalgia among Zimbabweans. If the political leaders could swallow their pride to work for the good of the country.
"I would suggest a GNU in the interim for two to three years or even five years. Zimbabwe needs national healing and that cannot be done outside the coalition. The spirit of working together needs to be actualised, and that is one of the key interventions," Masunungure said.
Another political analyst Brian Kagoro said there was need for the opposition political leaders to exercise maturity in light of the outcome.
"#AfricanLivesMatter Given the declared dispute regarding the announced results, the entire leadership of the opposition must quickly convene - tell each other off if necessary - smoke the peace pipe, find issues of common concern & act as a united front. Show leadership & maturity!" he wrote on his Twitter page.
His sentiments resonated with those of Maxwell Saungweme, who said there is need for the opposition to introspect on the outcome of the elections.
"When things stabilise in the near future, let's engage objectively on, political parties-constitution making process vs people-driven process, Mugabe's kiss of death, support for coup, and lack of internal democracy & tolerance in opposition and how they have led to this outcome!" he said on Twitter.
Clergyman and businessperson Shingi Munyeza, on the other hand, said Mnangagwa must try to unite the people.
"?Mr President-elect: 49,2 percent of the voters do not like you - unite us, our skill is in urban whilst our resources are in rural - bring equity, make us trust you - show transparency & accountability, you are of an older generation - empower the youths," he wrote on his Twitter account.
Zimbabwe has once been under a GNU between 2009 and 2013, when the ruling Zanu-PF government was under former president Robert Mugabe, while MDC was being led by its late founding president Morgan Tsvangirai.
The unity government was set up following a disputed election in 2008.
In 2008 Mugabe got 43 percent, while the MDC front man garnered 47 percent. Tsvangirai failed to garner enough votes to enable him to form the next government, which resulted in an election run-off.
He pulled out of the run-off following violent attacks on his supporters.
Both Mugabe and Tsvangirai were not on this year's ballot paper for the first time in nearly two decades.
Mugabe resigned from power last November following an army intervention which catapulted Emmerson Mnangagwa to the presidency, while Tsvangirai died in February from colon cancer.
The violent activities witnessed in 2008 have not been addressed to ensure a full reconciliatory process and they still haunt the country up to this day, something that has made it difficult for Zimbabweans to work together as a united force.
Source - dailynews
