Tsvangirai seeks talks

Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has made overtures to the new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to hold talks on the country’s future.

Catholic cleric Father Fidelis Mukonori, who played a key mediation role leading to Robert Mugabe’s resignation last month, said Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, had asked him to facilitate talks with Mnangagwa.

Mukonori said he was first contacted by Tsvangirai on the day of Mnangagwa’s inauguration. The two met on Thursday and Friday this week.

“He wants to get in touch with the new president and discuss the way forward,” Mukonori said.

There would be “a whole gamut” of issues on the table, including creating a climate for free, fair and credible elections next year.

He said Tsvangirai had wanted to talk to Mnangagwa about his cabinet appointments, but these were announced on Thursday, dashing speculation that Mnangagwa would invite opposition parties into a government of national unity.

However, Tsvangirai could not be reached for comment.

George Charamba, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, said this week that it did not make sense to constitute a government that included opposition parties for just six months. He said the constitution required elections to be held by August 21 and parties should focus on preparations.

In his inauguration speech, Mnangagwa extended an olive branch to all Zimbabweans, saying: “Even as I make constant reference to my party, Zanu-PF, I am not oblivious to the many Zimbabweans from across the political, ethnic and racial divide who have helped make this day and who thus have legitimate expectations from the office I now occupy.”

Mukonori said Tsvangirai had previously approached him to facilitate talks with Zanu-PF in September 2000, a year after the opposition party was formed, when tensions were brewing with the governing party.

Mukonori said he had tried to mediate between the two parties for nine months behind the scenes.