ED: Opposition Parties Can Only Dream Of Meeting South African Envoys

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has dismissed prospects of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s envoys and African National Congress (ANC) delegations meeting with opposition political parties in Zimbabwe.

Addressing an ordinary session of the ZANU PF politburo at the party’s headquarters in Harare on Wednesday, President Mnangagwa said those who come to visit the government of his party are exclusively his visitors. He said:

As I explained before, the truth must be told, that presidential envoys remain presidential envoys from one president to another.

Party envoys remain party envoys from one party to another. Those who dream otherwise, are allowed in a democracy to dream.

An ANC delegation was in Zimbabwe last week for a meeting with ZANU PF officials and the leader of the team, Ace Magashule, said they will make a follow-up meeting with opposition political parties and other stakeholders in Zimbabwe in the next two to three weeks.

Magashule said ZANU PF did not object to the ANC’s desire to meet with other political parties and other stakeholders in Zimbabwe.

Last month South African President Cyril Ramaphosa sent envoys to Harare for a meeting with Mnangagwa in a bid to ascertain what is happening in Zimbabwe following reports of widespread human rights violations.

The three envoys, former South African Minister of Safety and Security Sydney Mufamadi, former Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete and former South Africa’s Minister of Public Service and Administration Advocate Ngoako Ramatlhodi, refused to divulge the outcome of their meeting with Mnangagwa to reporters.

Reports indicate that Mnangagwa blocked the trio from meeting with opposition politicians, churches and civil society organisations.

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