News / National
Chamisa snubs Mnangagwa indaba, again
23 Feb 2019 at 06:26hrs | Views
THE Nelson Chamisa-led MDC yesterday said it will snub another round of national dialogue slated for today, claiming President Emmerson Mnangagwa's Zanu PF government is not taking their concerns seriously.
Mnangagwa recently invited 22 losing presidential aspirants in last year's harmonised elections for talks, but Chamisa snubbed the gesture.
The following day, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches organised a prayer breakfast meeting, which Chamisa attended, but Mnangagwa was in no-show. Although a majority of small parties will likely attend, Zanu PF and MDC have traded barbs over the direction the national dialogue has to take.
In an interview yesterday, MDC spokesperson, Jacob Mafume confirmed that his party would not participate in today's dialogue.
"We responded to that process and indicated that it did not meet the requirements of a dialogue," he said.
"That process is a national monologue where he (Mnangagwa) is talking to himself and, in any event, he refused to come to where the churches were gathered. A person who fears churches and bishops and holiness creates questions in our minds.
"We will only participate in a process that is a genuine dialogue, where there is a mediator, who is neutral and a process that will deal with key actors in the crisis in Zimbabwe. We will not participate in a monologue."
Coalition of Democrats leader, Elton Mangoma and MDC-T vice-president Obert Gutu have confirmed they were invited and would participate.
Mnangagwa recently invited 22 losing presidential aspirants in last year's harmonised elections for talks, but Chamisa snubbed the gesture.
The following day, the Zimbabwe Council of Churches organised a prayer breakfast meeting, which Chamisa attended, but Mnangagwa was in no-show. Although a majority of small parties will likely attend, Zanu PF and MDC have traded barbs over the direction the national dialogue has to take.
In an interview yesterday, MDC spokesperson, Jacob Mafume confirmed that his party would not participate in today's dialogue.
"We responded to that process and indicated that it did not meet the requirements of a dialogue," he said.
"That process is a national monologue where he (Mnangagwa) is talking to himself and, in any event, he refused to come to where the churches were gathered. A person who fears churches and bishops and holiness creates questions in our minds.
"We will only participate in a process that is a genuine dialogue, where there is a mediator, who is neutral and a process that will deal with key actors in the crisis in Zimbabwe. We will not participate in a monologue."
Coalition of Democrats leader, Elton Mangoma and MDC-T vice-president Obert Gutu have confirmed they were invited and would participate.
Source - newsday
