Sadc not keen to address Zimbabwe crisis, says Chamisa

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has called for the international community to intervene in addressing the Zimbabwean crisis, noting that the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) has remained unmoved despite gross human rights violations that continue to occur in the country.

Chamisa convened a press conference yesterday at the party headquarters foyer, where he says no investigations had been carried out by the law enforcement agents, following the bombing of the building a fortnight ago.

Chamisa yesterday said his party was ready for dialogue with the ruling Zanu-PF party to end the country's deteriorating economic, social and political situation, but on condition the talks are anchored on President Emmerson Mnangagwa's unresolved legitimacy issue.

Chamisa said: "I am not a lie. I don't want to acknowledge lies. I have said I will not recognise what is not recognisable.

Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa and his deputies - Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi - last night met an African National Congress (ANC) delegation from South Africa and apprised it on the situation here following violent MDC-Alliance-sponsored demonstrations which left a trail of destruction.

Members of the ANC delegation arrived on Monday to meet with their Zimbabwean counterparts on a solidarity visit, which has the blessings of other regional liberation movements.

South Africa's ruling party is throwing its weight behind Zanu-PF and is keen to assist the latter in light of economic challenges and attempts to isolate the country in the international community on the back of pressure by the local opposition and its allies abroad.

The Government and the ruling Zanu-PF  yesterday shot down posturing by South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mr Mmusi Maimane who threatened to compile a human rights abuse dossier against President Mnangagwa for the International Criminal Court and the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Mr Maimane, whose party is a long time opponent of Zimbabwe, made the threats in light of violent disturbances that were orchestrated by the MDC Alliance in concert with civil society organisations in the country two weeks ago.

Ironically, as Mr Maimane made his threat, Zanu-PF was meeting with its South African counterparts, the ANC, who came on a solidarity visit endorsed by regional liberation parties.