Chamisa is being impossible, says Mnangagwa

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has described MDC leader Nelson Chamisa as being impossible after the youthful opposition politician snubbed his Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) to solve the country's crippling economic crisis.

In a lengthy letter to the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations, which had written to him asking for dialogue between the two main parties to pull the nation from the dark hole, Mnangagwa said he could not dance to pre-conditions set by Chamisa for national engagement.

He, instead, implored the church leaders to talk to Chamisa and convince him to join the ongoing Polad meetings that the Zanu-PF leader is holding with other fringe opposition parties.

"I, as leader of Zanu-PF, and as the President-elect, called for harmony and dialogue in our nation, including pointedly calling on, and inviting the leader of the MDC, Advocate Nelson Chamisa, to come on board in amity and brotherhood, to rebuild our broken peace, and reunite our people in order to take our nation forward. Specifically and pointedly, I called upon the two of us to lead by example and show Zimbabweans that peace is paramount," Mnangagwa said.

In the spirit of building bridges, Mnangagwa said he offered Chamisa an official position as the leader of the opposition and invited him to join the national inclusive dialogue of all political leaders which he spurned.
"The MDC leader is still to requite my goodwill, so repeatedly and unconditionally expressed and extended. Much worse, he is still to respect the legitimate will of the Zimbabwean people as expressed in the results of the 2018 elections," Mnangagwa said.

"Still, I assure you and the Heads of Christian Denominations, that I personally will not tire of going the extra mile for the sake of peace and unity in our nation. The doors of national dialogue remain wide open to all political leaders, including the MDC, which dialogue must be without pre-conditions or any sense of preferential entitlement or recognition on any one's part, including myself."

Chamisa has refused to be part of Mnangagwa's talks, saying genuine engagement should be led by a neutral convener at a neutral venue.

Turning to the economy, Mnangagwa said the current hardships are unavoidable if a better tomorrow has to be created. "We must continue on the path or reforms in spite of temporary hardships for a better tomorrow. Indeed, the signs of recovery and positive growth are now ample, with clear indications that more jobs are now being created the ever before," he said.