By Paul Nyathi|Tuesday late night indications are that President Nelson Chamisa of the main opposition the MDC Alliance will not attend the pre talks meeting called by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday afternoon.

The meeting initially set for Thursday morning but moved to Wednesday afternoon has invited all the 2018 election presidential candidates through the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission.

Prominent writer Hopewell Chinono indicated on social media on Tuesday night that the MDC Spokesperson Jacob Mafume had told him in confidence that Chamisa will not be attending the meeting.

“The MDCA spokesman Jacob Mafume has just told me now that Nelson Chamisa will not attend the Presidential Candidates meeting tomorrow until people imprisoned after the Stay Away are released from jail,” wrote Chinono.

According to Chinono, Mafume also claimed that the MDCA is demanding that soldiers must go back into the barracks before any meaningful discussions can start.

“Mafume said that dialogue can’t be held when the whole county has been turned into a giant military barrack and their Organisation criminalized with its members on the run.”

The MDC is also reportedly demanding that only presidential candidates who got a meaningful number of votes with representation in parliament should attend the talks and not just everyone who participated.