Mliswa urges ED to scrap POLAD and engage Chamisa directly

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Former Norton MP, Temba Mliswa (Independent), has urged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to reach out to opposition CCC party leader Nelson Chamisa to discuss national issues, especially the welfare of the people.

Mnangagwa was sworn in on 04 September for his second and final term as President, following his victory in the 23 August election.

Since then, the Members of Parliament, the two Vice Presidents, and Local Authority representatives have been sworn in.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Mliswa said the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) is not the right platform for Mnangagwa to engage Chamisa but that the two should rather meet one-on-one. Said Mliswa:

Now that we have completed all political processes from the Presidency to Councils wouldn’t it be wise for the President to meet with Chamisa?

The POLAD platform isn’t ideal & warrants an alternative platform just for the two of them to discuss national issues and progress.

The agenda should focus on the country, the people and their welfare. CCC had its own manifesto relating to the same and that can be incorporated into what the ruling government seeks to do. That inclusive approach will go a long way in helping us as a nation.

I hope and pray for such kind of interactions… We can’t continue having fights and frictions. We must stop being emotional and recognise each other’s role and use in national development.

As it is the opposition has some positions in Gvt but it is ED who has the actual power. There is a need for collaboration for any progress otherwise the opposition won’t have much impact and there will be no synergy between the two.

However, political commentator Brighton Mutebuka said it was premature for Mnangagwa to engage Chamisa as the regional body, SADC “is currently seized with the matter”. He said:

I regret to advise you that ED is currently facing very serious allegations of having contrived with ZEC to steal the election.

SADC is currently seized with the matter, so it’s effectively sub judice. The better counsel is to await the outcome of that process.

At present, despite his best efforts to present a semblance of normalcy, ED is, regrettably technically considered to be masquerading as a democratically elected President of Zimbabwe.

I trust that you shall be guided accordingly. Free elections matter ever so profoundly, as many perished for that noble cause.

In a previous statement, SADC’s Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) said that the manner in which the Harmonised Elections were conducted “fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections…”