Opinion / Columnist
Have Mnangagwa, Chamisa seized the Tsvangirai moment?
07 May 2019 at 20:44hrs | Views
LAST weekend could have been a defining moment in Zimbabwe's broken politics. But given the many moments and opportunities that have previously being missed - when all and sundry expected our leaders to seize them - the weekend behind us might as well serve to be another one of those that will follow a familiar route of flattery.
At the weekend Zimbabweans from all walks of life converged in Humanikwa Village, Buhera, for a high profile memorial service of the late and much-loved opposition leader - Morgan Tsvangirai - who died last year after succumbing to cancer of the colon.
Tsvangirai remains loved and respected for his selfless and mature attitude which saw him putting the country first in 2008, when he agreed to hold talks which led to the consummation of a government of national unity (GNU) in 2009 - despite being robbed of victory by former president Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF.
At the weekend, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government commendably bankrolled the memorial service but crucially, the 76-year-old Zanu-PF leader chose Tsvangirai's memorial to remind his successor Nelson Chamisa about the need to have dialogue and unity.
And Chamisa seized the same opportunity to remind Mnangagwa that he was stalling attempts to have dialogue which is seen as the only way of rescuing the country from plunging into total economic chaos.
"Zimbabwe is polarised and people are too angry. My plea and request to Mnangagwa is to come down from his high horse.
"We have sent letters to him, we have send emissaries, I have sent several people to his offices but they have found the doors locked and iron walled," Chamisa said.
Mnangagwa and Chamisa have on many occasions spoken about dialogue but disappointingly ended blaming each other for stalling attempts to sit down and iron out their differences.
It is clear that both politicians know that the country is in serious problems and they cannot continue to behave as if it is business as usual.
They have been sizing each other for more than five months now but whatever aces their hold, they don't look like will change the current political and economic courses without dialoguing.
Their statements at the weekend betray leaders who know what's needed to extricate the country from the current economic mess.
We can only hope that finally they have seized the Tsvangirai moment to begin meaningful and real talks aimed at saving the country.
At the weekend Zimbabweans from all walks of life converged in Humanikwa Village, Buhera, for a high profile memorial service of the late and much-loved opposition leader - Morgan Tsvangirai - who died last year after succumbing to cancer of the colon.
Tsvangirai remains loved and respected for his selfless and mature attitude which saw him putting the country first in 2008, when he agreed to hold talks which led to the consummation of a government of national unity (GNU) in 2009 - despite being robbed of victory by former president Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF.
At the weekend, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government commendably bankrolled the memorial service but crucially, the 76-year-old Zanu-PF leader chose Tsvangirai's memorial to remind his successor Nelson Chamisa about the need to have dialogue and unity.
And Chamisa seized the same opportunity to remind Mnangagwa that he was stalling attempts to have dialogue which is seen as the only way of rescuing the country from plunging into total economic chaos.
"Zimbabwe is polarised and people are too angry. My plea and request to Mnangagwa is to come down from his high horse.
Mnangagwa and Chamisa have on many occasions spoken about dialogue but disappointingly ended blaming each other for stalling attempts to sit down and iron out their differences.
It is clear that both politicians know that the country is in serious problems and they cannot continue to behave as if it is business as usual.
They have been sizing each other for more than five months now but whatever aces their hold, they don't look like will change the current political and economic courses without dialoguing.
Their statements at the weekend betray leaders who know what's needed to extricate the country from the current economic mess.
We can only hope that finally they have seized the Tsvangirai moment to begin meaningful and real talks aimed at saving the country.
Source - dailynews
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