London reaches out to Zimbabwe

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa prepares to visit the United Kingdom (UK) in October for a crucial global summit, Whitehall says it is working to increase trade between Britain and Zimbabwe despite the uneasy relations between London and Harare over the past two decades.

In Its latest assessment of Zimbabwe's political and economic environment, the UK said while Harare still had a long way to go to get things right since the end of the ruinous rule of the late president Robert Mugabe, it had noticed some improvements in some areas in the country.

This comes after the United States of America (USA) recently extended a similar olive branch to Harare, after it encouraged its companies to invest in Zimbabwe - while blaming Mugabe squarely for being the author of the country's decades-long political and economic crises.

Mnangagwa's visit has set excitement in the ruling Zanu PF and the state media.

No Zimbabwean leader has travelled to the UK and a number of European Union (EU) countries in years after the West imposed travel restrictions against senior government leaders over Harare bad human rights record. poster

However, Mnangagwa, according to the state media, is set to visit the UK soon.

Zanu PF Politburo member and former presidential advisor Chris Mutsvangwa also confirmed the visit adding it would break decades old jinx adding the proposed visit had riled former Zanu PF ministers who were members of the vanquished G40 faction.

"Now EDM (Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa), their (G40) nemesis will likely fly to London soon," said Mnangagwa.

He also accused exiled former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo of cloning his personal Twitter account in a "despicable act of cowardice".

"G40 elements peeved by the progress being made by the Second Republic through its resounding successful engagement have taken to Twitter in an act of cowardice and desperation," said Mutsvangwa.

"Jonathan Moyo is bereft of both attention and readership on his social media account. Addicted to limelight, he then clones my name and imposits. It is a despicable act of cowardice and irrelevance for a G40 pundit whose lifelong desire for apex power in Zimbabwe fell a thundering thud in November 2017, Operation Restore Legacy.

"Now EDM, their nemesis will likely fly to London soon. The three-decade jinx in diplomatic relations between Harare and London is set to break as to usher a new epoch of bonhomie. With Jonathan Moyo in this hour when the Taliban is back in Kabul.

"Fawning acolytes of misguided perfidy are licking wounds of unrewarding treachery against own people and home country. Lonely exile has exacted its painful price."