Zanu PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Christopher Mutsvangwa, has accused CCC leader Nelson Chamisa of trying to use the dialogue platform, which he claimed has been offered by President Mnangagwa, to outsmart his internal rivals. He said that Chamisa should not abuse the opportunity for transparent and open engagement with the president and the nation.
Mutsvangwa made these remarks at a press conference at the party headquarters in Harare yesterday, following the recall of 15 CCC MPs by the party’s interim secretary-general, Sengezo Tshabangu. Tshabangu claimed that they had ceased to be members of the opposition party.
Mutsvangwa said that President Mnangagwa was willing to talk to Chamisa and address the issues affecting the country, but Chamisa was not sincere and honest. He said that Chamisa was facing serious challenges from his own party members, who were vying for power and influence.
“Chamisa wants to use the dialogue with President Mnangagwa as a tool to outwit his rivals within CCC, which is a ramshackle party. This is not a sound basis for bilateral party engagement, because it brings chaos and confusion to CCC, Zanu PF and national politics,” he said.
He added that Zanu PF was committed to open book democracy, where everyone could see what was happening and hold leaders accountable. He said that Chamisa wanted conspiratorial democracy, where he could secretly strike a deal with President Mnangagwa and sideline his opponents.
“This is a recipe for national disunity and disaster. We don’t have those problems in Zanu PF, so we cannot be part of Chamisa’s schemes within his own ramshackle party,” he said.
He urged Chamisa to be transparent and inclusive in his approach to dialogue. He said that Chamisa should inform his vice presidents Tendai Biti and Professor Welshman Ncube, his secretary-general Chalton Hwende, and MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora about his engagement with President Mnangagwa.
“Let everyone know what we are doing, because then there is a buy-in from the people who support them. This is accountable democracy, which is what President Mnangagwa is striving for. Chamisa wants conspiratorial democracy, which President Mnangagwa will not subscribe to,” he said.
He alleged that Chamisa had sent emissaries to Zanu PF seeking dialogue, and that President Mnangagwa had received them and designated his own emissaries to interact with them. However, he said that Chamisa did not want his colleagues to know about his engagement with President Mnangagwa.
