CHENGETAI ZVAUYA
MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa will not accept President Mnangagwa’s offer of being recognised as the official leader of the opposition as an acceptance would legitimise his leadership.
Chamisa maintains that he won the July 30 presidential elections and that the outcome was rigged in favour of the incumbent. Last month, the Constitutional Court upheld Mnangagwa’s victory and dismissed with costs the application by Chamisa which challenged the results.
MDC Alliance presidential spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda told Business Times last night that the MDC Alliance Standing Committee met yesterday and was not in agreement with the proposal by Mnangagwa to recognise Chamisa as leader of the opposition and create an office for him.
“We know that Chamisa won the presidential elections and he cannot occupy the office of Leader of Opposition. We see this as a way of legitimising Zanu PF so that it is accepted internationally. So we cannot be part of that,” Sibanda said.
“Our party has not accepted that Mnangagwa is the legitimate President of the country so they cannot accept office for Chamisa as the opposition leader in whatever circumstances.”
President Mnangagwa who is attending the United Nations 73th Ordinary session in USA has said he wants to create the Office of the Leader of Opposition which is in line with the Commonwealth practices.
Chamisa is also planning to go ahead with his inauguration and victory celebration to coincide with MDC’s 19th anniversary celebrations set for this weekend at Gwanzura Stadium in Harare.
Chamisa’s “coronation” was supposed to have been held a fortnight ago but was deferred after the police banned all public gatherings following the outbreak of cholera.
The pandemic has so far claimed 49 lives.
