Mugabe's 'priest' wants youths to lobby for GNU formation

RESPECTED Catholic priest, Father Fidelis Mukonori, has called on youths from both Zanu PF and the MDC Alliance to lobby their warring party leaders to set aside their differences and form another Government of National Unity (GNU) to end the current stalemate, which he said was crippling economic transformation.

In an interview with NewsDay yesterday, the cleric, who facilitated former President Robert Mugabe's stepping down last November, said the current polarised environment was compromising the national agenda.

"It is probably the duty of young people right across Zimbabwe to say we want a government of national unity as a way forward, not this environment," he said.

"If the young people resoundingly, on daily basis, sing that song to the opposition parties and the ruling party and say this is what we want, we young people feel that it is necessary for you to sit down and come up with a solution, none of them would say no because they have a listening ear."

Mukonori urged youths to desist from stoking political tensions, but channel their energy to good use.

With the British government and other Western governments already pushing for dialogue between MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa and Zanu PF's President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mukonori said the two leaders would gain respect if they considered that option.

"A government of national unity is dependent on the two leaders, if they think it is worth it. We had a GNU and something happened, but that chance was also lost as some people were taking the opportunity to enrich themselves instead of making it a workable solution," he said in reference to the 2009-2013 GNU formed between Zanu PF and the two MDC formations.