Douglas Mwonzora and ED Mnangagwa hold secret meeting at State House

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OPPOSITION MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora held a “secret meeting” with President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House in Harare today, NewsDay has learnt.

Mwonzora confirmed meeting Mnangagwa.

He told NewsDay that the two leaders had discussed his party’s position on national dialogue following consultations with his structures.

“We met President Emmerson Mnangagwa as part of our efforts to forge national dialogue,” Mwonzora said curtly.

“The meeting was a success and the President said he was yet to consult some of his officials before coming to us.” (sic)

Mwonzora declared his interest to join the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) recently, but set conditions that the grouping should be restructured. The opposition leader also demanded that only political parties that have parliamentary representation should dialogue separately. That leaves him and the Zanu PF leader as key players in the Polad-initiated dialogue.

The meeting was held shortly after Mnangagwa proclaimed that by-elections would be held on March 26, 2022.

Previously, his vice president Thokozani Khupe represented the party in Polad until Mwonzora ousted her in a disputed opposition party elective congress as ordered by the courts.

Mwonzora has also started a process to recall Khupe and her allies from the opposition party as happened with most MPs from the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance. Khupe is accused of hobnobbing with MDC Alliance, an allegation she is challenging in the courts.