"Some ZANU PF Bigwigs Never Wanted ED's Re-Engagement Agenda" UZ Political Scientist

Eldred V Masunungure, a political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe has said that the crumbling of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-engagement efforts could possibly be amusing some ZANU PF heavyweights.

Masungure claimed that there were some within the party and government who were opposed to the re-engagement drive since day one. Masunungure said:

What is happening in this party-military regime, where there are military and civilian elements, is that some people inside are celebrating the fact that the West has escalated its criticism of the government, as they also never wanted re-engagement.

These people may want to destroy Mnangagwa’s efforts once and for all, because it is clear they have gone beyond the diplomacy boundary in their actions. As a result, ED’s efforts are now as good as dead in the water.

His remarks come when the international community has recently raised concern over the shrinking democratic space in the country. They castigated “government-sponsored” abductions and torture of opposition MDC members, human rights defenders and government critics.

Following a ban on MDC demonstrations and other human rights violations, Western diplomatic missions in Zimbabwe, including USA, EU, UK and Australia, issued a joint statement condemning the harassment of citizens by state agents.

Analysts argue that “reckless” statements and actions by some government officials can actually undo efforts to re-engage the international community.

Zimbabwe was isolated, particularly by Western powers on the turn of the millennium with the latter citing gross violations of human rights in the South African country.

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