PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is snubbing former South African leader, Thabo Mbeki and he is no longer taking phone calls from the ex-statesman, MDC Vice President Tendai Biti has claimed.

Mbeki was in Zimbabwe in December last year where he met both Mnangagwa and MDC leader Nelson Chamisa separately in a bid to bring the two rivals to the negotiating table and help solve the country’s worsening political and economic crisis.

During his visit, Mbeki also met political leaders who are part of the Political Actors’ Dialogue (POLAD).

However, speaking to NewZimbabwe’s Agenda Programme Monday in Harare, Biti said Mnangagwa was now snubbing Mbeki.

“Emmerson is not interested in dialogue. President Mbeki was here in December. Emmerson said to President Mbeki he needed time to consult his party that was in December, we are now in February,” he said.

“Mnangagwa is no longer even taking President Mbeki’s calls.”

Biti further warned that Mnangagwa’s government risked removal from office through mass protests as chances for dialogue between Chamisa and the President were fading.

“Zimbabweans, we must direct the future of where we want to go. I have got a feeling personally that the majority of Zimbabweans are no longer interested in dialogue, what they want are reforms. What they want is the constitutional, peaceful removal of this government.

“So we must bite the bullet and go in the streets because the Constitution allows us as the door for dialogue might be too late,” Biti said.

NewZimbabwe.com failed to get a comment from Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba who is with his boss in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the African Union’s 33rd Ordinary Summit.

Last week, suspended Zanu PF youth commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu threatened to drag both Chamisa and Mnangagwa to the negotiating table saying the two should meet to find answers to the troubled country’s challenges.

-Newzimbabwe