News / Local
Mnangagwa, Chamisa told to stop posturing
11 Mar 2021 at 14:15hrs | Views
POLITICAL analysts yesterday urged the country's leaders to stop posturing and to also embrace a common position on dialogue if the mooted national talks are to formally take off.
This comes as there is a growing consensus among Zimbabwe's key stakeholders - including major political parties - on the urgent need for inclusive national dialogue to help end the country's decades-long myriad challenges.
It also comes as the Church has presented a draft talks framework to Zanu-PF, the MDC, Western powers and other stakeholders - as it pushes for President Emmerson Mnangagwa, opposition leader Douglas Mwonzora and Nelson Chamisa to settle their political differences via the negotiating table.
Respected University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure, was among the analysts who said the ‘Big Three' of local politics needed to have a common position to make formal national dialogue a reality.
"They must be honest with each other because as it is they only agree on the destination to which the dialogue must take them … that is, to come up with reforms that will lead to free, fair and credible elections but.
"But they fundamentally differ on the route to that point currently. While Mnangagwa has made it clear that the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) is the only platform for any talks, Chamisa insists on bipartisan talks between the MDC Alliance and Zanu-PF.
"To dialogue, there has to be a platform for that and in the absence of that, it is difficult to proceed - hence the posturing by the two (ED and Chamisa)," Masunungure told the Daily News.
"They must be honest and own up to the fact that they have different interpretations of the dialogue, to enable them to agree on the route they must take to ensure that there are reforms that will lead to dispute-free electoral outcomes.
"They can only be made to agree by a mediator who could come from the Church, Sadc or AU, otherwise it (formal talks) will remain a pie in the sky," he added.
Renowned professor of World Politics at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (OAS), Stephen Chan, said both Mnangagwa and Chamisa were "playing not for dialogue, but for desired outcomes".
"Chamisa does not wish to be absorbed and compromised in a government of national unity (GNU).
"For him, the best way forward is to win an election, but that is precisely what Zanu-PF does not wish to happen. So, there will be no substantial electoral reforms.
"Zanu-PF probably feels that if it comes to a GNU they can submerge Chamisa under the weight of a portfolio and governmental responsibilities.
"So, both sides are playing not for dialogue, but for desired outcomes. As long as that happens, there will be no actual dialogue," Chan told the Daily News.
"This requires all sides to come to the negotiating table without pre-conditions. Everything should be on the table to be discussed," he added.
On his part, senior consultant at the International Crisis Group, Piers Pigou, said the cautious approach by two of the main protagonists was emanating from their respective fears of being politically outfoxed.
"The dialogue dance has resulted in no tangible progress. Chamisa and the MDC Alliance have been seemingly outmanoeuvred and remain largely in reactive mode, with limited leverage to shift dynamics towards genuine dialogue.
"Zanu-PF and the government, on the other hand, have no interest in a dialogue that is likely to weaken their position ahead of the 2023 election - hence the ongoing reform deficits we see on a range of fronts, especially on issues around electoral reforms," he said.
This comes as Mnangagwa has on several occasions invited Chamisa to the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) - where he regularly holds meetings with fringe opposition leaders who contested him in the 2018 elections.
But Chamisa has spurned the invitation, insisting on talks between him and Mnangagwa - a proposition that the 78-year-old Zanu-PF leader has flatly rejected.
However, speaking during a virtual address on Tuesday, Chamisa said dialogue was necessary to achieve needed electoral reforms and to avoid disputed elections.
"The agenda for political reforms has been on the table for many years. When the MDC was founded two decades ago, the agenda was to reform governance in Zimbabwe which was already in terminal decline.
"The transformation of governance and society remains at the core of the party's agenda.
"However, history has shown that there are impediments to the party's path to power, hence the need for political reforms to level the political playing field," Chamisa said.
"It is important to have free, fair, and credible elections because they provide the basis for legitimacy. Indeed, this is the principal reason for our call for dialogue.
"It is not to find accommodation in this regime, but to play our part in designing an electoral path that would prevent the risks of illegitimacy that have dogged past elections," he added.
Chamisa also said dialogue would result in political players and other stakeholders implementing requisite reforms necessary for free and fair elections - which would aid national development and Harare's acceptance by the international community.
"More significantly, we continue to hold the view that illegitimacy is a significant barrier to Zimbabwe's economic progress.
"As long as the government suffers a legitimacy deficit, the country will struggle to attract serious investors.
"To make economic progress, we must resolve the political questions that have long affected the country's perception in the eyes of the family of nations.
"We must have political reforms that will facilitate legitimate electoral outcomes," Chamisa said further.
This also comes as the MDC last week said it had started laying the groundwork for the country's mooted national dialogue, by initiating preliminary talks with traditional leaders, churches, civil society organisations and student formations.
This comes as there is a growing consensus among Zimbabwe's key stakeholders - including major political parties - on the urgent need for inclusive national dialogue to help end the country's decades-long myriad challenges.
It also comes as the Church has presented a draft talks framework to Zanu-PF, the MDC, Western powers and other stakeholders - as it pushes for President Emmerson Mnangagwa, opposition leader Douglas Mwonzora and Nelson Chamisa to settle their political differences via the negotiating table.
Respected University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure, was among the analysts who said the ‘Big Three' of local politics needed to have a common position to make formal national dialogue a reality.
"They must be honest with each other because as it is they only agree on the destination to which the dialogue must take them … that is, to come up with reforms that will lead to free, fair and credible elections but.
"But they fundamentally differ on the route to that point currently. While Mnangagwa has made it clear that the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) is the only platform for any talks, Chamisa insists on bipartisan talks between the MDC Alliance and Zanu-PF.
"To dialogue, there has to be a platform for that and in the absence of that, it is difficult to proceed - hence the posturing by the two (ED and Chamisa)," Masunungure told the Daily News.
"They must be honest and own up to the fact that they have different interpretations of the dialogue, to enable them to agree on the route they must take to ensure that there are reforms that will lead to dispute-free electoral outcomes.
"They can only be made to agree by a mediator who could come from the Church, Sadc or AU, otherwise it (formal talks) will remain a pie in the sky," he added.
Renowned professor of World Politics at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (OAS), Stephen Chan, said both Mnangagwa and Chamisa were "playing not for dialogue, but for desired outcomes".
"Chamisa does not wish to be absorbed and compromised in a government of national unity (GNU).
"For him, the best way forward is to win an election, but that is precisely what Zanu-PF does not wish to happen. So, there will be no substantial electoral reforms.
"Zanu-PF probably feels that if it comes to a GNU they can submerge Chamisa under the weight of a portfolio and governmental responsibilities.
"So, both sides are playing not for dialogue, but for desired outcomes. As long as that happens, there will be no actual dialogue," Chan told the Daily News.
"This requires all sides to come to the negotiating table without pre-conditions. Everything should be on the table to be discussed," he added.
On his part, senior consultant at the International Crisis Group, Piers Pigou, said the cautious approach by two of the main protagonists was emanating from their respective fears of being politically outfoxed.
"Zanu-PF and the government, on the other hand, have no interest in a dialogue that is likely to weaken their position ahead of the 2023 election - hence the ongoing reform deficits we see on a range of fronts, especially on issues around electoral reforms," he said.
This comes as Mnangagwa has on several occasions invited Chamisa to the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) - where he regularly holds meetings with fringe opposition leaders who contested him in the 2018 elections.
But Chamisa has spurned the invitation, insisting on talks between him and Mnangagwa - a proposition that the 78-year-old Zanu-PF leader has flatly rejected.
However, speaking during a virtual address on Tuesday, Chamisa said dialogue was necessary to achieve needed electoral reforms and to avoid disputed elections.
"The agenda for political reforms has been on the table for many years. When the MDC was founded two decades ago, the agenda was to reform governance in Zimbabwe which was already in terminal decline.
"The transformation of governance and society remains at the core of the party's agenda.
"However, history has shown that there are impediments to the party's path to power, hence the need for political reforms to level the political playing field," Chamisa said.
"It is important to have free, fair, and credible elections because they provide the basis for legitimacy. Indeed, this is the principal reason for our call for dialogue.
"It is not to find accommodation in this regime, but to play our part in designing an electoral path that would prevent the risks of illegitimacy that have dogged past elections," he added.
Chamisa also said dialogue would result in political players and other stakeholders implementing requisite reforms necessary for free and fair elections - which would aid national development and Harare's acceptance by the international community.
"More significantly, we continue to hold the view that illegitimacy is a significant barrier to Zimbabwe's economic progress.
"As long as the government suffers a legitimacy deficit, the country will struggle to attract serious investors.
"To make economic progress, we must resolve the political questions that have long affected the country's perception in the eyes of the family of nations.
"We must have political reforms that will facilitate legitimate electoral outcomes," Chamisa said further.
This also comes as the MDC last week said it had started laying the groundwork for the country's mooted national dialogue, by initiating preliminary talks with traditional leaders, churches, civil society organisations and student formations.
Source - dailynews
