News / National
Mugabe, MDCs in secret talks
19 Sep 2015 at 10:49hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party is reportedly in secret talks with the opposition MDC-T and MDC, as the parties reportedly seek to save the economy.
Diplomatic sources claimed the parties met in Kenya and Ghana over the past few months, with a decisive meeting set to be held in Victoria Falls between
September 24 and 27.
Zanu-PF was, according to sources, represented by July Moyo and Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, while Douglas Mwonzora and Lynette Karenyi represented the MDC-T, with Moses Mzila Ndlovu and Mirriam Mushayi representing the Welshman Ncube-led MDC.
"We have had meetings in Kenya and Ghana, but these are preliminary. These forums set up informal meetings that are supported by the Zimbabwe Institute (ZI) to facilitate continuous dialogue between political parties.
"Zanu-PF representatives Moyo and Muchinguri-Kashiri indicated at a meeting in Accra, Ghana, that the ruling party wanted opposition assistance to turn around the economy. It was a clear proposal for some sort of GNU, but the opposition demanded a return to legitimacy," said a source privy to the goings on.
However, Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo immediately rubbished the claims.
Norwegian envoy to Harare Bard Hopland, whose country is said to be facilitating the talks, denied his country was funding any discussions.
A senior MDC-T member, who declined to be named, was not impressed.
"Why do you want to write that story? You are likely to jeopardise the discussions. It would be proper if you wait for the Victoria Falls meeting.
That is the main one and then you can write.
"If you love this country you would not write such stories. Some of us are working very hard to try and alleviate the people's suffering and we do not need the media to throw spanners in the works," the national executive member said.
MDC-T party spokesperson Obert Gutu confirmed there had been meetings, but only to do with issues of mutual interest.
Diplomatic sources claimed the parties met in Kenya and Ghana over the past few months, with a decisive meeting set to be held in Victoria Falls between
September 24 and 27.
Zanu-PF was, according to sources, represented by July Moyo and Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, while Douglas Mwonzora and Lynette Karenyi represented the MDC-T, with Moses Mzila Ndlovu and Mirriam Mushayi representing the Welshman Ncube-led MDC.
"We have had meetings in Kenya and Ghana, but these are preliminary. These forums set up informal meetings that are supported by the Zimbabwe Institute (ZI) to facilitate continuous dialogue between political parties.
"Zanu-PF representatives Moyo and Muchinguri-Kashiri indicated at a meeting in Accra, Ghana, that the ruling party wanted opposition assistance to turn around the economy. It was a clear proposal for some sort of GNU, but the opposition demanded a return to legitimacy," said a source privy to the goings on.
Norwegian envoy to Harare Bard Hopland, whose country is said to be facilitating the talks, denied his country was funding any discussions.
A senior MDC-T member, who declined to be named, was not impressed.
"Why do you want to write that story? You are likely to jeopardise the discussions. It would be proper if you wait for the Victoria Falls meeting.
That is the main one and then you can write.
"If you love this country you would not write such stories. Some of us are working very hard to try and alleviate the people's suffering and we do not need the media to throw spanners in the works," the national executive member said.
MDC-T party spokesperson Obert Gutu confirmed there had been meetings, but only to do with issues of mutual interest.
Source - newsday
