News / National
Ramaphosa snubs Chamisa
13 Mar 2019 at 14:50hrs | Views
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa yesterday ignored calls for a meeting with opposition leader Nelson Chamisa during his Harare visit, after the youthful opposition leader had said he would doorstep the South African president while he was in Zimbabwe.
Ramaphosa left Harare without creating time in his busy schedule to meet with opposition leader Nelson Chamisa - who was hoping to get audience with the region's most influential statesman, to brief him about local political developments.
Chamisa was not answering his phone when the Daily News tried to reach him yesterday, to hear what might have happened.
However, Mnangagwa said yesterday that his door remained open for dialogue with him - adding that Chamisa "had a democratic right" to shy away from talks, as he was currently doing.
"With regard to the issue of the dialogue, from the time of the inception of the current dispensation, we have talked about peace, love unity ... and we will continue to do so.
"However ... we cannot compel anybody to come to the table. People have their democratic right to walk away from progress, but those who ... are patriotic to their country will always come together and contribute their constructive idea," he said.
Chamisa has been brawling with Mnangagwa ever since he lost last year's presidential elections whose outcome he alleged was manipulated in favour of the 76-year-old Zanu PF leader.
Ramaphosa left Harare without creating time in his busy schedule to meet with opposition leader Nelson Chamisa - who was hoping to get audience with the region's most influential statesman, to brief him about local political developments.
Chamisa was not answering his phone when the Daily News tried to reach him yesterday, to hear what might have happened.
"With regard to the issue of the dialogue, from the time of the inception of the current dispensation, we have talked about peace, love unity ... and we will continue to do so.
"However ... we cannot compel anybody to come to the table. People have their democratic right to walk away from progress, but those who ... are patriotic to their country will always come together and contribute their constructive idea," he said.
Chamisa has been brawling with Mnangagwa ever since he lost last year's presidential elections whose outcome he alleged was manipulated in favour of the 76-year-old Zanu PF leader.
Source - dailynews
