Mnangagwa is bizarrely delusional, says Chamisa

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been branded "delusional" by MDC leader Nelson Chamisa for pressing ahead with talks with minority parties as the MDC continues its boycott of the process.

Mnangagwa announced on Friday that his Zanu-PF and 17 other small parties had agreed a framework for the political dialogue, including the appointment of a mediator.

The MDC and at least four other parties – the National People's Party led by Joice Mujuru, the Alliance for the People's Agenda led by Nkosana Moyo, the Build Zimbabwe Alliance of Noah Manyika and the National Patriotic Front – have refused to participate in the dialogue, setting conditions for their involvement.

"My brother ED (Emmerson Dambudzo) is bizarrely delusional and thoroughly mistaken," Chamisa said on Twitter, reacting to a picture of leaders of the minority parties at State House.

The MDC and the other parties who are boycotting the process have laid down conditions, including the appointment of a neutral third party as mediator with buy-in from the African Union and the United Nations.

Mnangagwa, speaking after a meeting of the 18 political parties in a process now called Political Actors Dialogue" or "POLAD", said they had agreed that the chairpersons of the Gender Commission (Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe) and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (Selo Nare) will be the convenors of the dialogue, which will commence in the first week of May.

The talks between Mnangagwa and opposition rivals are seen as key in solving a political and economic crisis occasioned by Mnangagwa's disputed election win last July, and the killing of opposition supporters by the military.

The MDC fears being dragged into a process dictated by Mnangagwa, whose outcomes may never be implemented.

MDC deputy president Morgan Komichi said Sunday that any mediator would have to be "mutually acceptable".

"The principle is very clear. We need someone who is impartial and mutually acceptable. If that person meets that criteria, then the game will start," he told The Standard.

"The current set-up is just like that of Ian Douglas Smith where he was taking the lead, taking on his side people like (Abel) Muzorewa and (Chief) Chirau. He didn't survive because genuine parties who were fighting for the people, Zanu and Zapu, didn't join as they wanted an arbitrator who would be considered neutral.

"This is not only about negotiating but the bigger part or the delicate area is the implementation of that agreement. The facilitator should have the leverage to make sure that agreement is followed through. The agreement will have the international buy-in."