President Emmerson Mnangagwa has all but confessed that the United States told him to deal with issues of political reforms in the country before engaging in any meaningful talks with the US.

Speaking to journalists last night on arrival from Mozambique where he attended the 12th US-Africa Business Summit, President Mnangagwa said he had fruitful discussions with US Assistant Secretary (Bureau of African Affairs) at the US State Department, Mr Tibor Nagy, during which he allayed fears of possible delays in the repealing of AIPPA and POSA.

“There was also a delegation that came that was led by the State Ambassador Tibor Nagy of America. They raised their concerns; we also raised our concern. They worried about the delay of the repeal of AIPPA and POSA, but we have told them that those pieces of legislation are already in Parliament and are progressing very well. We believe that before August those Bills will go through.”

Nagy met with Zimbabwe’s president, Emmerson Mnangagwa on the sidelines of the US-Africa Business Summit in Maputo, Mozambique where he stressed the importance of real political reforms.

Nagy posted on Twitter saying that he had told Mnangagwa the importance to hold security forces accountable for violence committed against Zimbabweans in August 2018 and January 2019. Nagy tweeted:

“I met with Zimbabwean President Mnangagwa today. I stressed the urgent need to hold security forces accountable for acts of violence committed against Zimbabweans including in August 2018 and January/February 2019 and the importance of real political and economic reforms.”

The Zimbabwean government used the current diabolical POSA to deal with citizens who protested against a crumbling economy in January where members of the army shot live shots killing innocent citizens.

The same law was used in August last year to deal with citizens who were protesting delays in announcing the July 31st Presidential election result. Several people were also killed in the process.

In his confession, Mnangagwa, said that Zimbabwe is committed to political reforms to open up democratic space in the Second Republic, while the process to replace the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and Public Order and Security Act (POSA) is expected to be complete by August.

The Freedom of Information Bill will repeal AIPPA, while the Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill will replace POSA.

Zimbabweans have however expressed unhappiness on the new laws claiming that they are the same old laws under a new name.