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<\/p>\nMDC leader Nelson Chamisa has warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa to \u201cstop fooling with the people\u2019s emotions\u201d arguing it will not end well.<\/p>\n
Chamisa told New Zimbabwe.com in an exclusive interview Saturday after meeting visiting European Union managing director for the European External Action Service (EEAS) Koen Vervaeke that genuine dialogue remains Zimbabwe\u2019s only hope.<\/p>\n
Vervaeke is in the country on a mission to find ways of enhancing relations between Brussels and Harare.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndeed we met him (Vervaeke) and discussed a number of issues including the dire humanitarian situation in the country, diseases, Cyclone Idai as well as hunger.<\/p>\n
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\u201cMost importantly we also discussed our attitude towards dialogue with Zanu PF and Mnangagwa. The discussions also included political and economic reforms. We are clear that Mnangagwa has power but does not have the consent of the people,\u201d said Chamisa.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe discussed peace building and national healing as well as economic reforms.\u201d<\/p>\n
The MDC leader has, since losing last year\u2019s presidential election, argued that he was robbed of victory through collusion between Zanu PF and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. However, his petition challenging the results of the poll was thrown out by the Constitutional Court last year but Chamisa insists Zimbabwe\u2019s legitimacy problems are more political than legal.<\/p>\n
The 41-year-old opposition politician added that the issue of dialogue was not a matter of choice for Mnangagwa, describing the Zanu PF leader\u2019s current efforts with fringe parties as a \u201cfixture fulfilling exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe people of this country have indicated their choice and its not for Mnangagwa to choose or reject. He just has no choice and we must warn that he should not play with the people\u2019s emotions.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe will not win it. Whatever it is he is doing is futile because it is just like fulfilling a fixture. It\u2019s unhelpful,\u201d said Chamisa.<\/p>\n
The MDC has demanded that a neutral arbiter be appointed to mediate in Zimbabwe\u2019s political stand-off.<\/p>\n
Chamisa added that Mnangagwa might have the power of the office he holds but lacks legitimacy drawn from the people\u2019s consent.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has the power but without the power required to inspire the people even his own bureaucracy. It\u2019s palpable that this country lacks inspiration.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has the power of the office but lacks the influence. He is a restless leader because he cannot find the answers to our national questions. Mnangagwa cannot pretend to engage the international community while leaving an unengaged citizenry as well as a political opposite,\u201d Chamisa told NewZimbabwe.com adding the Zanu PF leader has to engage stakeholders at home first.<\/p>\n
Vervaeke also had talked to Foreign Affairs and International Trade secretary James Manzou where sources said he discussed a raft of issues including Zimbabwe\u2019s re-engagement efforts, reforms and the humanitarian crisis created by Cyclone Idai.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa to \u201cstop fooling with the people\u2019s emotions\u201d arguing it will not end well. Chamisa told New Zimbabwe.com in an exclusive interview Saturday after meeting visiting European Union managing director for the European External Action Service (EEAS) Koen Vervaeke that genuine dialogue remains Zimbabwe\u2019s only hope. Vervaeke […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":1350,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8,12],"tags":[113,88,31,149],"class_list":{"0":"post-6655","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-head-lines","9":"category-policy","10":"tag-chamisa","11":"tag-mdc","12":"tag-mnangagwa","13":"tag-president"},"yoast_head":"\n