IN THE PRESS

On Friday, President Em mer son Mn an gagwa returned home after attending the annual United Nations General Assembly.

In New York, the President sort to appraise world leaders on the developments in the country post November 2017.

It was an opportunity to spell out his vision in the Second Republic, but more importantly, reposition Zimbabwe to a respectable position at the table of nations. Part of the President’s mission also included high level meetings with top investors and bilateral engagements with a diverse range of national leaders from across the globe.

The mission proved to be an unmitigated success. Bridges were built, new alliances were forged and seeds were sown.

But what may have missed the undiscerning eye was the composition of the President’s exceptionally lean team.

Only Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet( Presidential Communications) Mr George Charamba and the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Dr John Mangudya as well as a few other senior officials made the trip.

In a season where austerity is a buzzword, the composition of the President’s delegation was an encouraging sign of reform at the highest level. During the trip, the President also made time for a couple of high profile television interviews.

It was during one of those interviews that President Mnangagwa mentioned his administration’ s intention to create the position of Official Leader of the Opposition in line with the Commonwealth system of governance. The pronouncement triggered a frenzied response within opposition circles, fuel led by twisted reportage in the private Press.

Those that have remained in election mode two months after the polls pounced on the statement, presenting it as an attempt at rapprochement by the President towards the vanquished leader of the MD C-T Alliance, Mr Nelson Ch am is a.

President Mnangagwa had made an “offer” to Mr Ch am is a. The latter was even “weighing” the offer, it was reported.

However, Mr Char a mb a put the matter to rest. Speaking from New York, he said creation of the position was not for the accommodation of any particular individual. Rather, it was about long-term institution-building inline with the Second Republic’s ethos of strengthening democracy in Zimbabwe.

It is no longer about individuals and their egos; it is now about building the nation.