Mnangagwa eager to talk to Chamisa

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa says he is still eager to engage opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa and all those who are still outside the political dialogue process aimed at finding lasting solutions to the socio-economic problems facing the country.

Chamisa has stayed away, insisting that his party could not participate in the Mnangagwa-initiated political dialogue process which was flawed and would thus not come up with real solutions to the country's problems.

Responding to questions from delegates during the official opening of the ongoing Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) annual congress in Victoria Falls yesterday, Mnangagwa said: "When I look at those that have come through to the dialogue, who also happen to have been those that took part in the elections last year, I see strategists who want to move their country forward.

"Each of the leaders has a strategy through which they believe this country can be taken forward. These are the strategies that we are trying to harness in the dialogue."

Mnangagwa added the door would not be shut to those that had chosen to remain outside the negotiating platforms – in apparent reference to Chamisa and his MDC.

"There are some that are not at the table. They have not moved forward with all of us. I would like to state that the door will remain open for these kinds of people. We are brothers and sisters who should work together for the success of their country," he said.

The Zanu-PF leader said he was happy with what the dialogue with the other fringe parties had achieved so far, adding that churches and other interest groups will now be incorporated into the dialogue process.

"We have youths, churches, and women who we believe now need to also join in the discussion because they also have a contribution to make towards the success of their country as well," he said.

"We are working in such a way that all the interested groups get to come through with their contributions and we work together in taking this country forward."

Earlier in his official opening speech, Mnangagwa told delegates and ZNCC members that he was confident measures being crafted by his Zanu-PF administration on the economic front would pay off in future.

"Let me hasten to say that the reforms we are instituting entail all of us, as leaders across all sectors, to be solid, candid and principled. I thus call upon the business community to complement government (efforts) in the fulfilment of the reform objectives.

"In our respective spheres, we must take it upon ourselves to explain the new developments, especially with regards to the recently gazetted Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019, to our people. Let us re-assure them that we are on the correct path and the measures we are instituting will bear fruits," Mnangagwa said.

He added that Zimbabwe's business had potential of coming up with products that could be traded within markets in the Sadc region and the African Continental Free Trade Area.

"The development of a continental free trade area gives industry and business access to a single African market with a combined population of 1,2 billion people and a gross domestic product of US$3,4 trillion.

"I urge you not to bury your heads in the sand, but to take up the inherent opportunities by producing competitive goods for this market," Mnangagwa noted.