Mnangagwa rules out GNU

By Blessings Mashaya 

President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday ruled out any prospects of having a Government of National Unity (GNU) with the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC.

This comes a few days after the country’s biggest opposition party said it was not desperate for the pact but that it is Zanu PF which wants to be rescued from the current economic crisis.

Mnangagwa told Zanu PF central committee members that the ruling party is currently focusing on improving the country’s economy and those who are thinking of a GNU are day dreamers.

“I heard they are saying that there is need for a GNU, isai zvitanda munzeve. Those who are dreaming of a GNU must wake up and brew beer so that they get to their normal senses. Tichatonga, tichingotonga, tichingotonga.”

“We have two thirds majority in Parliament. The elections were done and at every polling station results were displayed. After that they tried to challenge the results in the court but they refused to demand the opening of ballot boxes because they know the truth.”

Addressing Zanu PF youths at the same venue yesterday, Mnangagwa said they will not hesitate to arrest opposition members who do not respect the laws of the country.

“They are crying everywhere but I want to say don’t listen to them, what I want to tell you is that those who do not respect the country’s laws we are going to deal with them.”

Mnangagwa’s sentiment on the possibility of a GNU seems to be a response to MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume who recently said his party is not desperate for it.

“It is them Zanu PF who stole a vote, they are being hounded by their theft, it is them who were rejected by all credible observer missions and it is them Zanu PF who are failing to get a single cent even from the Chinese.

“They have caused fuel shortages and are taxing people, it is not us who have begged them for a unity government, it is not us who have suggested that there be a unity government but it is them who are being haunted by the ghost of illegitimacy,” said Mafume.

The MDC spokesperson said the country’s economy has been on a slippery slope ever since the removal of former president Robert Mugabe from office in November last year.

He said despite the current government’s efforts to seek financial bailouts from international partners, these have drawn blanks.

“Zanu PF is the one that has messed up, they have failed the economy. They are illegitimate; they have failed to pass the legitimacy test internationally and to the people of Zimbabwe. You cannot seek to govern people by force, they will not comply. They are facing resistance from the people and the economy. It is Zanu PF which needs to be rescued not anyone else,” said Mafume.

Chamisa has been brawling with President Emmerson Mnangagwa ever since he narrowly lost the hotly-disputed July 30 presidential election.

He accused the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of manipulating the poll results in favour of the Zanu PF leader.

But Mnangagwa’s victory was upheld by the Constitutional Court, which ruled that Chamisa had failed to provide enough evidence that he had won the election.

Meanwhile yesterday the 76-year-old leader said they are aware that the country is facing economic challenges which include “fuel shortages, price increases, and drugs shortages. We are going to discuss all this at our conference. These challenges come when the economy is recovering.”

He also warned party bigwigs against corruption saying he will not hesitate to fire them from the party.

“There is some top official who demanded five million rand from a certain foreign businessman so that he can facilitate his meeting with me. This certain businessman told my friend in South Africa, then I heard the story from my friend after that I then phoned that businessperson. Corruption must stop; the new dispensation doesn’t tolerate corruption.” Daily News