THE Elders on Saturday met with incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa amid reports of efforts to bring on the negotiating table the Zanu PF leader and the opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa.
The Elders including the widow of both the late South African President Nelson Mandela and Mozambican President Samora Machel, Graca Machel and former Ireland President Mary Robinson were in attendance.
Chamisa confirmed the development on Twitter and said genuine dialogue is the only solution to the challenges being faced by Zimbabwe, hence they met with the Elders.
“Just had a great meeting with the Elders Mama Graca Machel and Former Ireland President Mary Robinson. Fixing politics through genuine and credible political dialogue for comprehensive political & economic reforms is the only viable solution to the challenges Zimbabwe is facing!” he said.
The meeting came at a time when Zimbabweans are mourning the death of Zimbabwe’s first post-independence leader former President Robert Mugabe.
After news of the potential dialogue, reporters stormed the rendezvous but there was a somersault.
Addressing the media Graca concentrated on Mugabe’s death rather than reports of the dialogue plans.
“For me honestly he (Mugabe) is a hero from the time he was in Mozambique during the struggle, the time of Samora which many of you do not know and personally I still consider him as his private hero,” said Graca.
“We send our condolences to the Mugabe family. We are Africans, we do the African that is to mourn with those who are mourning and I urge all Zimbabweans to appreciate that we had differences with Mr Robert Mugabe. We had differences over decades, political struggle and disputes around governance, his leadership, his managing style but for now let us moan and focus on the issues of mourning and beyond that we then have time to reflect on other issues on where we need to correct and what we need go do going forward,” she said.
Zimbabweans across the political divide expect dialogue between Mnangagwa and Chamisa.
