News / National
Mnangagwa, Chamisa talks collapse
22 Jul 2018 at 10:59hrs | Views
Frantic efforts to get President Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa, to iron out their differences through face-to-face discussions have collapsed with the 75-year old Zanu-PF leader saying he will only meet with his 40-year-old challenger in the ballot box on July 30.
Mnangagwa and his rival, Chamisa, were reportedly likely to meet face-to-face – for the first time - before the upcoming elections.
Sometime in March, Mnangagwa had promised to meet with Chamisa to discuss possible solutions to rising cases of politically-motivated violence in the opposition party.
Speaking at an interdenominational church meeting in Harare titled 'Interactive Meeting with Churches in Zimbabwe', Mnangagwa said the two were expected to explore ways of curbing violence as factionalism has led to serious clashes in the MDC-T following the death of party founding president Morgan Tsvangirai.
According to New Zimbabwe.com, this could have been possible if plans by a local church group to bring together all contesting presidential candidates are fruitful.
The Catholic Church-run Silveira House in partnership with other churches have indicated that they are organising a multi-party gathering for all the 23 presidential candidates.
The plan was aimed at preserving peace and "inculcating a sense of political tolerance" ahead of the crunch elections.
"The presence of the presidential candidates in a single space with each one of them addressing the same audience will be of actual and symbolic significance, one that will imprint itself on the political psyche of those present and those following the event through the media," said Father Fredrick Chiromba, one of the organisers of the meeting, as saying.
Mnangagwa and his rival, Chamisa, were reportedly likely to meet face-to-face – for the first time - before the upcoming elections.
Sometime in March, Mnangagwa had promised to meet with Chamisa to discuss possible solutions to rising cases of politically-motivated violence in the opposition party.
Speaking at an interdenominational church meeting in Harare titled 'Interactive Meeting with Churches in Zimbabwe', Mnangagwa said the two were expected to explore ways of curbing violence as factionalism has led to serious clashes in the MDC-T following the death of party founding president Morgan Tsvangirai.
The Catholic Church-run Silveira House in partnership with other churches have indicated that they are organising a multi-party gathering for all the 23 presidential candidates.
The plan was aimed at preserving peace and "inculcating a sense of political tolerance" ahead of the crunch elections.
"The presence of the presidential candidates in a single space with each one of them addressing the same audience will be of actual and symbolic significance, one that will imprint itself on the political psyche of those present and those following the event through the media," said Father Fredrick Chiromba, one of the organisers of the meeting, as saying.
Source - Byo24News
