Own Correspondent|Latest local media reports claim that President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa of the MDC are this Thursday expected to meet in Harare over breakfast for “national dialogue.”

According to the reports, one of the initiators of this convergence is the general-secretary of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), the Revd Dr Kenneth Mtata.

Dr. Mtata made news headlines last week when he pulled out of President Mnangagwa’s 24-member Presidential Advisory Council shortly after learning of his appointment.

Dr. Mtata excused himself from the Council, saying he was committed elsewhere but would continue to serve his country in various capacities. He said that he had not been consulted beforehand, although he expressed support for the government’s nation-building agenda.

He issued a statement, saying: “I feel really flattered to be invited to serve the nation and President in such a role in a moment as this. My current position will, however, limit effective functioning in such a huge role. I have therefore humbly withdrawn my name.”

Now, Dr. Mtata is the one being credited by the churches’ website as having initiated the National Dialogue Breakfast after he wrote on social media on Monday evening: “We had dialogue in 1979, and a new Zimbabwe was born. We had dialogue in 1987, and had the Unity Accord. Had dialogue in 2009, and got a government of national unity. We had a wide engagement in 2013, and got a new constitution.

“Though imperfect, we always benefited from dialogue.”

The invitation by Churches in Zimbabwe targets President Mnangagwa and 200 leading political figures to the “National Dialogue” prayer breakfast.

The aim is to unite opposing factions around the ideal of achieving “long-term peace, unity, justice, and prosperity for all Zimbabweans”.

Both President Mnangagwa and Advocate Nelson Chamisa’s offices have yet to confirm their attendance.