News / National
Chamisa has no intentions of removing Mnangagwa unconstitutionally
05 May 2019 at 17:22hrs | Views
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday told hundreds of his party followers during the memorial service of the late Morgan Tsvangirai in Buhera that he will drag President Emmerson Mnangagwa to the negotiating table as it is the only solution to stop the economic decay.
This comes as Mnangagwa has slammed the door on the youthful opposition leader who has refused to recognise his controversial presidential election win last year.
The MDC leader told thousands of people gathered at the memorial service that soon after their congress this month, he is going across the region, advising them of the developments and seeking assistance.
"I don't really care, even if you kill me, because everyone is going to die... So we don't mind the threats, we want the country to move forward, let's have a dialogue, if you don't want a dialogue we will drag you to the dialogue kicking and screaming," Chamisa said.
Mnangagwa is currently dialoguing with fringe political parties in talks that Chamisa has steadfastly described as a sham.
And as the economy implodes, a panicking Zanu-PF government has issued threats to the opposition against demonstrations with the minister of Home Affairs Cain Mathema claiming that the country security arms have unearthed a plot to remove Mnangagwa from office.
However, Chamisa said his party has no intentions of removing Mnangagwa from power through unconstitutional means.
"We do not want to remove anyone from power using force. But we said in order for our agenda to go ahead, there has to be a political dialogue, between Zanu-PF and MDC, dialogue between Mnangagwa and us. In the absence of that, everything that they are doing with all the others is a waste of time.
"Dialogue is the only answer. But we said if Mnangagwa remains unwilling to dialogue, we will consult the Constitution and show you we have the powers, because we have the people. Nobody voted for Mnangagwa, that is why we went all the way up to the Constitutional Court. He just woke up president, it's known. He was put in power by the Con-Court not the people.
"So we said this is the problem we would want to deal with, we want electoral reforms, political reforms, but the people's vote must also be respected, and we become the leaders in line with how the people voted. We will not go back on that no matter the circumstances. After that, the country will move forward after the assumption of power by a legitimate government," said Chamisa.
Pressure is mounting on Chamisa and Mnangagwa to set aside their political differences and engage in talks that many believe would help resolve the economic crisis which has resulted in inflation and the consequent price increases.
Mnangagwa who squeezed through the 50 plus 1 percent threshold to win last year presidential elections has so far failed to revive the economy, create jobs and implement critical reforms as he promised during his campaign.
Instead, his government is accused of trampling on human rights with the 2018 August violence and his clampdown on demonstrations in January this year further blotting his record.
Although the late Tsvangirai, who succumbed to cancer of the colon in February last year joined hands with Mnangagwa in the process to remove former President Robert Mugabe from power, Chamisa claimed his late boss was tricked by Zanu-PF.
He said Mnangagwa had promised Tsvangirai that a transitional government, that would among other things stabilise the economy and also put in place key electoral reforms, would be formed.
Although Mnangagwa, who was part of the people invited to attend the memorial did not attend the event, Chamisa thanked his government for providing police security and also having renovated the road leading to the venue of the event.
While seeking to thank government for this effort, Tsvangirai's eldest son was booed off the stage.
But Chamisa surprisingly hailed the government for this gesture.
"I contest with Mnangagwa, I oppose him in many ways but when something good has been done, I believe we have to acknowledge. As your leader allow me to thank the fact that police officers were deployed to work here in peace, we must acknowledge, that is what we are known for as MDC because police officers are apolitical, they do not belong to Zanu-PF, they do not belong to MDC, police officers belong to Zimbabwe. Not that whenever you see a police officer, you see a soldier, you think you have seen an enemy. Do not always criticise, let's acknowledge what is good and condemn what is bad," Chamisa said, to wild cheers from his supporters.
He said Tsvangirai had fought for the good of all the people in Zimbabwe, adding the fallen leader was about "service and sacrifice".
The MDC leader, however, said the same problems Tsvangirai faced under former president Robert Mugabe are the same problems he is still facing under Mnangagwa's rule.
He said people were still being arrested, beaten and have their rights trampled upon.
Yesterday's event was attended by members of the Tsvangirai family, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions members, churches as well as diplomats.
This comes as Mnangagwa has slammed the door on the youthful opposition leader who has refused to recognise his controversial presidential election win last year.
The MDC leader told thousands of people gathered at the memorial service that soon after their congress this month, he is going across the region, advising them of the developments and seeking assistance.
"I don't really care, even if you kill me, because everyone is going to die... So we don't mind the threats, we want the country to move forward, let's have a dialogue, if you don't want a dialogue we will drag you to the dialogue kicking and screaming," Chamisa said.
Mnangagwa is currently dialoguing with fringe political parties in talks that Chamisa has steadfastly described as a sham.
And as the economy implodes, a panicking Zanu-PF government has issued threats to the opposition against demonstrations with the minister of Home Affairs Cain Mathema claiming that the country security arms have unearthed a plot to remove Mnangagwa from office.
However, Chamisa said his party has no intentions of removing Mnangagwa from power through unconstitutional means.
"We do not want to remove anyone from power using force. But we said in order for our agenda to go ahead, there has to be a political dialogue, between Zanu-PF and MDC, dialogue between Mnangagwa and us. In the absence of that, everything that they are doing with all the others is a waste of time.
"Dialogue is the only answer. But we said if Mnangagwa remains unwilling to dialogue, we will consult the Constitution and show you we have the powers, because we have the people. Nobody voted for Mnangagwa, that is why we went all the way up to the Constitutional Court. He just woke up president, it's known. He was put in power by the Con-Court not the people.
"So we said this is the problem we would want to deal with, we want electoral reforms, political reforms, but the people's vote must also be respected, and we become the leaders in line with how the people voted. We will not go back on that no matter the circumstances. After that, the country will move forward after the assumption of power by a legitimate government," said Chamisa.
Pressure is mounting on Chamisa and Mnangagwa to set aside their political differences and engage in talks that many believe would help resolve the economic crisis which has resulted in inflation and the consequent price increases.
Instead, his government is accused of trampling on human rights with the 2018 August violence and his clampdown on demonstrations in January this year further blotting his record.
Although the late Tsvangirai, who succumbed to cancer of the colon in February last year joined hands with Mnangagwa in the process to remove former President Robert Mugabe from power, Chamisa claimed his late boss was tricked by Zanu-PF.
He said Mnangagwa had promised Tsvangirai that a transitional government, that would among other things stabilise the economy and also put in place key electoral reforms, would be formed.
Although Mnangagwa, who was part of the people invited to attend the memorial did not attend the event, Chamisa thanked his government for providing police security and also having renovated the road leading to the venue of the event.
While seeking to thank government for this effort, Tsvangirai's eldest son was booed off the stage.
But Chamisa surprisingly hailed the government for this gesture.
"I contest with Mnangagwa, I oppose him in many ways but when something good has been done, I believe we have to acknowledge. As your leader allow me to thank the fact that police officers were deployed to work here in peace, we must acknowledge, that is what we are known for as MDC because police officers are apolitical, they do not belong to Zanu-PF, they do not belong to MDC, police officers belong to Zimbabwe. Not that whenever you see a police officer, you see a soldier, you think you have seen an enemy. Do not always criticise, let's acknowledge what is good and condemn what is bad," Chamisa said, to wild cheers from his supporters.
He said Tsvangirai had fought for the good of all the people in Zimbabwe, adding the fallen leader was about "service and sacrifice".
The MDC leader, however, said the same problems Tsvangirai faced under former president Robert Mugabe are the same problems he is still facing under Mnangagwa's rule.
He said people were still being arrested, beaten and have their rights trampled upon.
Yesterday's event was attended by members of the Tsvangirai family, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions members, churches as well as diplomats.
Source - dailynews
