Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa is pinning hopes of improving the country’s situation on the national political dialogue that he launched amid pomp and fanfare in Harare yesterday, but the million dollar question is will it work without one of the major political players, Nelson Chamisa.

In his remarks during the official launch of the dialogue, Mnangagwa said the situation demanded that all stakeholders discuss in earnest to find collective strategies to arrest the challenges.

“The dialogue we are launching today will undoubtedly leave a lasting imprint on our country’s political landscape and help contribute to the turnaround of our socio-economic fortunes,” he said.

“This platform is designed to be a vibrant forum through which we proffer solutions to the challenges that confront us as a nation, through peaceful, open and transparent discourse. The culture of dialogue we begin today must, indeed be synonymous with us as a nation and as a people. This journey we are embarking on must ultimately lead us towards improving our democratic practices and culture.”

Responding to Mnangagwa, Zimbabweans reminded him that Chamisa’s absence is a blow to his desire.