Main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa made a rare public appearance since he resigned from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), travelling to Chivi over the weekend for the funeral of the late Petronella Mukwende (80).
Mukwende is the mother-in-law of Patrick Cheza, the opposition candidate who lost the 2023 elections in the Chirumhanzu South constituency.
Chamisa paid tribute to her as a “Mother and a great Citizen” and that “she was a community leader, church leader, social worker and citizens mobilizer. Women are the pillars of society. RIP Gogo Mukwende,” he wrote on X.
There was a touching moment when Mukwende’s 99 year old husband stood up to acknowledge Chamisa’s presence at the funeral. (Watch the video below)
Wise words from sekuru Mukwendi. Our prayers are with him in this difficult time. @Cde_Ostallos @nelsonchamisa @ZdvNap @advocatemahere pic.twitter.com/267JsChORC
— bhuru rechirimanzu (@BhuruDhema) March 18, 2024
Chamisa meanwhile used the funeral to reveal that he has initiated discussions with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to mediate between himself and President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“We are one, let us work together. That is why you realise that l am making frantic efforts to call on SADC to mediate the impasse with my relative (Mnangagwa).
“The economy is in tatters and it is affecting every citizen. I am not talking about politics but the state of the economy.
“I heard that about 300 relatives (of the late Mukwende) are in the UK (United Kingdom). This is very worrisome and this is where the country needs to be cured.
“We can’t have our people working abroad, we can’t have a productive workforce in foreign lands.
“We cannot have multitudes of people failing to work for their country because they are abroad. We want Zimbabweans to come back into their country and enjoy their country.
“We have the best country, we have the richest country, we have the most beautiful country in the world, and the people themselves are beautiful and have kind hearts that is why there is no war even if things are messed up.
“We don’t fight but work together to correct it,” Chamisa said.
Chamisa was flanked by his defacto “Organising Secretary” Amos Chibaya and Masvingo City Mayor Alec Tabe among other dignitaries who attended the funeral.
