News / National
Chamisa gets grassroots support for snubbing Mnangagwa's offer
04 Oct 2018 at 05:56hrs | Views
MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa's supporters across the country are backing his stance to reject President Emmerson Mnangagwa's bid to placate him by officially recognising him as the 'Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.'
"The people are very clear in all the provinces we have held provincial council meetings so far. They are saying they support Chamisa in rejecting Mnangagwa's offer for him to be drafted in his government. The grassroots masses are saying Mnangagwa is illegitimate," said MDC Alliance organising secretary, Amos Chibaya.
"He was not voted by majority of the people of Zimbabwe. Accordingly, he cannot try to window-dress his legitimacy crisis by an illegal offer to the people's favourite, our party leader Nelson Chamisa."
He said the party held provincial council meetings across the country in the past week and the grassroots supporters back Chamisa's stance.
"From what is coming out in the provincial council meetings, the people are still solidly behind our leader, Chamisa, despite the setback of losing the elections whose results we still dispute. The people are saying our victory was stolen, but God is in it and so Chamisa will eventually rule this country. They are still solidly behind him," he said.
Chamisa, who says he was the legitimate winner of the elections and accuses the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of voter fraud despite losing a Constitutional Court petition challenging the results of the vote, has called for political dialogue to resolve the issue of legitimacy.
In a memo to party structures last week, Chamisa said the dialogue must be premised on several conditions that "shall be anchored on a five-point plan (that) includes return to legitimacy and democracy, the respecting of the win and will of the people, respecting the true outcome of this election."
"The reforms must include electoral, political, constitutional and legal reforms that allow for the holding of truly free, fair and credible elections in Zimbabwe."
"The people are very clear in all the provinces we have held provincial council meetings so far. They are saying they support Chamisa in rejecting Mnangagwa's offer for him to be drafted in his government. The grassroots masses are saying Mnangagwa is illegitimate," said MDC Alliance organising secretary, Amos Chibaya.
"He was not voted by majority of the people of Zimbabwe. Accordingly, he cannot try to window-dress his legitimacy crisis by an illegal offer to the people's favourite, our party leader Nelson Chamisa."
He said the party held provincial council meetings across the country in the past week and the grassroots supporters back Chamisa's stance.
Chamisa, who says he was the legitimate winner of the elections and accuses the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of voter fraud despite losing a Constitutional Court petition challenging the results of the vote, has called for political dialogue to resolve the issue of legitimacy.
In a memo to party structures last week, Chamisa said the dialogue must be premised on several conditions that "shall be anchored on a five-point plan (that) includes return to legitimacy and democracy, the respecting of the win and will of the people, respecting the true outcome of this election."
"The reforms must include electoral, political, constitutional and legal reforms that allow for the holding of truly free, fair and credible elections in Zimbabwe."
Source - newsday
