PHOTO: Chamisa meets UK's Catriona Laing

Nelson Chamisa is currently meeting with the British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Her Excellency Catriona Laing. Among issues under discussion is the situation in the country ahead of the watershed election due in a few months time.

President Nelson Chamisa is currently meeting with the British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Her Excellency Catriona Laing. Among issues under discussion is the situation in the country ahead of the watershed election due in a few months time. pic.twitter.com/NLcKmBacFi

— MDC Zimbabwe (@mdczimbabwe) April 4, 2018

Yesterday the British Embassy in Zimbabwe distanced itself from allegations that it is backing President Emmerson Mnangagwa to win in the upcoming 2018 harmonised elections.

This came after Professor Welshman Ncube, the spokesperson for the coalition MDC Alliance spoke out against the British and the Chinese for seemingly backing President Mnangagwa.

Said Ncube, "We think it is inappropriate for the British and the Chinese to pick a horse in this election. They should, instead, insist on Zimbabwe abiding by international norms and standards for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.

Responding to the allegations, Simon Thomas, the Deputy Ambassador at the British Embassy Harare said that his country did not care about who wins the polls. He insisted that his country's only interest in the election was that it should be conducted under free and fair conductions. Writing on microblogging site Twitter, Thomas said,

This simply isn't true. Let me be clear: no throwing our weight, no backing horses, 🇬🇧 isn't backing ANYONE in the 🇿🇼 election! We don't much care WHO wins. We care a lot HOW they win. And we'll continue to press all sides for a free and fair election.

— Simon Thomas (@UKSimonT) April 3, 2018

A daily newspaper reported that Zimbabwe's upcoming general elections could have divided world leaders' opinion, with Britain and China throwing their weight behind President Emmerson Mnangagwa's candidature at a time the United States has remained sceptical of the Zanu PF leader and kept a soft spot on the youthful MDC-T presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa.

British ambassador to Harare, Catriona Laing last week claimed that London and Harare were now "in a better place" than they were before former President Robert Mugabe's ouster last November.

Laing told a State-controlled weekly she had, in the past few weeks, addressed investors keen on coming to Zimbabwe.

"In terms of value, the combined total value of UK projects approved by the Zimbabwe Investment Authority between 2014 and 2017 are more that $336 million. These projects are all at various stages of completion. If the elections go well and are endorsed by the international monitors, that will send a very positive signal to UK investors that the government is fulfilling its obligations and committed to the rule of law," Laing said.

"So what I am expecting following the elections is that companies that are in exploratory mode at the moment will move into more accelerated mode to actually start looking at prospects for real investment."

The British envoy said Mugabe's removal presented a fresh start for the two countries, adding Zimbabwe should seize the opportunity for the next round of meetings with the International Monetary Fund to set its plan "up to the elections and beyond".

"So I think we are in a better place . . . if we continue to see progress, then I hope that we will be able to move to the next stage and get to a point where Zimbabwe and Britain have full normal investment and trading relations. Then we can work together in fora like the United Nations and ensure that Zimbabwe plays its role as a good global citizen," she said.

Laing added that Mnangagwa has made "positive" indications in the area of economic reform, but insisted that Britain "wants to see the next stage which the President (Mnangagwa) has committed to".