Staff Reporter
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday welcomed opposition leader of the MDC T, Douglas Mwonzora at State House.
Speaking through a press statement MDC T Secretary for Information and Publicity, Witness Dube expressed gratitude on the milestones reached during the meeting.
“Pursuant to our call for genuine, inclusive and unconditional dialogue as a solution to solving Zimbabwe’s myriad of challenges, our President Mwonzora met State President Mnangagwa at State House (today) yesterday.
As previously alluded to by the President that Zimbabwe can only be built by its people irrespective of political affiliation. President Mnangagwa called on all political parties to occasionally meet (hence the formation of POLAD) and exchange notes on how to move Zimbabwe forward. This prompted Mwonzora to ambark on a nationwide consultative program of his party.
“On the 11th of June last year the initial meeting took place at State House whereat our president presented concreate proposals for national dialogue to President Mnangagwa. On the 16 of September 2021 President Mnangagwa formally responded to the MDC T proposals. Some of the issue raised in President Mnangagwa’s letter led to our party embarking on a nationwide dialogue consultative program during which party structures were briefed on same. They were afforded an opportunity to make representations on how they wanted the dialogue process to take place and time lines involved. They also contributed to the substantive issues to be covered by the dialogue.
“The meeting was a huge success and our leaders expressed that the dialogue that Zimbabweans have long waited for is slowly becoming a reality,” said Dube.
Meanwhile, this is not the first time President Mnangagwa has extended an olive branch to opposition leaders, opening opportunities for dialogue, having done the same to leader of the MDC Alliance Nelson Chamisa afte he lost in the 2018 Harmonised elections. Chamisa however, snubbed an opportunity to take part in the formulation of policies for the country through contributions and suggestions through POLAD.
President Mnangagwa was accompanied by ZANU PF Secretary for Finance Patrick Chinamasa and Acting Secretary to the President and Cabinet George Charamba, while Mwonzora was accompanied by his party Secretary General Paurina Mpariwa and Treasurer General Tapiwa Mashakada.
