ZwNews Chief Correspondent

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa who once vowed not to engage opposition Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC-Alliance) president Nelson Chamisa is now under pressure to engage the youthful leader as economic challenges bit harder.

Since MDC joined the Zimbabwean political fray, the party has kept ZANU PF at its toes, with the ruling party alleging that the opposition outfit is a sellout party.

Its leaders were harassed, and labelled puppets.

Morgan Tsvangirai, it’s founding leader reportedly died a bitter man after Mnangagwa dodged chance of working together, soon after the fall of former president Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe’s removal was a united effort.

Mnangagwa is now begging for his spirit to intervene, as a new discourse is being sought.

Though ZANU PF would want to bag all the credit of dethroning Mugabe, actually it was a united effort, as the impeachment move that forced Mugabe to resign would have needed opposition votes to succeed.

It is also because of that element that explains why Mugabe’s fall was viewed by many as an opportunity to bring a new direction in the country’s political discourse, however, Mnangagwa chose to be greed and do it alone.

Now that the crown is getting too heavy for his head, he now invites the opposition to the dialogue table. Mnangagwa has just swallowed his pride and now wants the dialogue that he should have initiated after the downfall of Mugabe.

As if that was not enough, Mnangagwa also missed another chance for a dialogue, when he controversially won the 2018 harmonised elections, saying he did not want any dialogue with losers.

Chamisa who took over the reins at the main opposition party in Zimbabwe after the death of Tsvangirai has recently rejected an invitation for talks with Mnangagwa saying there are a number of issues that need to be attended to before any meaningful dialogue can take off.

This has put more pressure on Mnangagwa, who now understands well how legitimacy matters can stall economic development.

With talks getting elusive, under pressure Mnangagwa is now praying for Tsvangirai’s guidance, calling the late opposition leader’s spirit to stand with the nation, as it tries to find a solution.

He said a year after Tsvangirai’s departure the nation remembers his patriotism and his lifelong commitment to Zimbabwean unity and democracy.

Mnangagwa added that now, more than ever, Zimbabweans need to work together as they build new a new nation, and called for Tsvangirai’s spirit to stand with the nation.

“Stand with us as we toil to chart a new course for our nation, for the people of Zimbabwe,” said Mnangagwa through his twitter handle.

Speaking during Tsvangirai’s memorial service recently, his widow Elizabeth Macheka, opened up on how her late husband was deceived into believing that ZANU PF was ready to form a transitional government with the MDC to ensure implementation of political reforms before the 2018 polls.

“Tsvangirai supported the new dispensation whole-heartedly thinking it was a new dispensation because he thought it would open a new page that would allow Zimbabweans to work together and chart a new narrative for the people,” she said.

Chamisa, Tsvangirai’s successor also told the same gathering that it pained his late predecessor, to be duped into believing that a transitional system was to be instituted to pave the ground for the then pending 2018 elections, only for Mnangagwa and company to shift the goal posts.

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