George Charamba Speaks On Mugabe And Mnangagwa's Relationship After Coup

Responding to a question on the relationship between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his predecessor Robert Mugabe, George Charamba said the two speak to each other on the telephone.

Charamba disclosed the two have not met although they occasionally call each other. Said Charamba:

They are on talking terms telephonically and occasionally they “raise” each other. What has not happened is a face to face meeting. In fact when we left for Botswana as part of the State visit, President Mnangagwa phoned his predecessor to say ‘Shefu ndakuenda kuna bhururu wenyu (Boss I am going to see your friend)’ of course he was saying that with a tongue in cheek because you know the chemistry with then President Mugabe and Ian Khama was not a very happy one. Then the President (Mugabe) said ‘Good luck and my regards to him and we hope you make progress’. And again when the President (Mnangagwa) left for Abidjan they had another telephone conversation because there is still an outstanding meeting that is still to take place between the two of them but more importantly the former President’s medical checkup was also due and for that to happen and in terms of the Statutory obligations of the State all the arrangements have to be made by Government, again there was contact between the two. So there has between lots of contact between the two.