By Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reiterated his desire to meet opposition MDC-T President Nelson Chamisa.
Addressing multitudes of ZANU PF supporters at a rally at Chinzanga Primary School in Mtoko on Saturday, Mnangagwa said that he is still waiting for the opportunity to meet with leaders of all opposition parties to discuss the forthcoming harmonised elections.
The hugely attended rally was meant to drum support and unveil the ruling party’s candidates for Mashonaland East Province ahead of elections pencilled for 30 July.
President Mnangagwa said he was confident Zimbabwe will hold free, credible and violent-free elections.
“My leadership, my colleagues are very confident that we are capable of holding free and fair elections.”
“That is why I wanted to meet other leaders from contesting parties so that they commit themselves to ensure that we hold non-violent elections, but the meeting could not be held because I am told we now have so many political parties.
“So we need to wait until the nomination court sitting to know who will be contesting.
“I would want every leader, including myself, to commit to non-violence, to a clean campaign, a free election, a credible election. We must remain united, and the future of this country is bright. The new era is coming and together, let us enter Cannan while united.”
Government, he said, was informed by the stubborn belief in the country’s capacity to preside over a democratic plebiscite to invite several election observer and monitoring teams.
“We have elections that are coming in July. We have invited all Sadc countries, African Union, EU (European Union) the United Nations and even other countries in the East to observe our elections,” said the President.
“We have invited them because we do not want violence.”
“No violence, we want free, fair and credible elections. We have invited foreign election observers because I am very confident,” he said.
The MDC-T leader has also openly expressed his willingness to meet with Mnangagwa and wrote a letter to the President requesting for the meeting.