Source: Chamisa on diplomatic charm offensive | Newsday (News)
BY OBEY MANAYITI
MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa is on a diplomatic charm offensive, seeking solidarity at a time other African leaders are warning up to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.
Although officials close to Chamisa refused to divulge the countries and leaders that he is set to meet, claiming that the hosts do not want to be known, he previously raised concern over regional leaders’ failure to intervene in the Zimbabwean crisis.
Chamisa has also reportedly requested to meet South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during his forthcoming trip to Zimbabwe in a few weeks’ time.
In a terse statement on Tuesday, the party’s director of communication, Luke Tamborinyoka revealed that his boss will be embarking on a diplomatic offensive.
“President Nelson Chamisa is out of the country on a diplomatic offensive in Africa to sensitise the continent on the situation in Zimbabwe,” Tamborinyoka said.
“The MDC leader’s diplomatic engagement drive comes hard on the heels of a State-sponsored brutal onslaught on innocent Zimbabweans as well as a callous attempt to decimate the party by targeting its elected leaders as well as party structures.”
Zimbabwe was on the agenda at the Sadc meeting held on the sidelines of the African Union summit recently. The summit was held at the height of State-sponsored crackdown following countrywide protests against the leadership of Mnangagwa.
Instead, Sadc condemned the maintenance of sanctions against the Mnangagwa government.
MDC officials yesterday said Chamisa is also taking the opportunity to update some African leaders about the situation in the country.
“Some of the leaders that the president is meeting have requested not to be named and, obviously, they have their own reasons. If we, therefore, divulge we might end up jeopardising the whole issue,” an MDC official said.
“However, the fact of the matter is that there are some African leaders who didn’t buy into Mnangagwa’s propaganda and they are willing to hear the other side from Chamisa. The nation will be told about the mission at an appropriate time,” the official added.
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