Mwonzora warms up to POLAD, says it’s a good starting point #ElectionsZW

Mwonzora warms up to POLAD, says it’s a good starting point #ElectionsZW

MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora says the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) is a good starting point for the much-talked-about dialogue.

POLAD is a dialogue platform that was created by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to engage with his political opponents.

However, the platform has largely been shunned by meaningful opposition parties in the country.

Mwonzora, when he took over the reins at Harvest House was a bit critical of the platform and went as far as proposing his own dialogue with President Mnangagwa.

However, the lawyer-cum politician appears to be having a change of heart as the country draws near the 2023 watershed elections.

Speaking to journalists at a press conference, Mwonzora glorified POLAD, adding that it just needs a bit of restructuring.

“POLAD is a good starting point for dialogue which is necessary but not sufficient. There is a need to restructure it if it is going to be the negotiating forum,” he said.  

Dialogue the only way to solve Zim problems

Mwonzora added that the MDC-T considers dialogue as a way to resolve problems bedeviling Zimbabwe.

“…Our party has initiated a path to initiate dialogue as a means to resolve key challenges of our nation. There is no doubt that the Zimbabwean crisis is a multifaceted crisis that includes the crisis of endemic poverty. Inequality perennial problem of contested legitimacy the unemployment underperforming economy,’ said Mwonzora.

Added Mwonzora: “Our preference for dialogue as the main strategy is born out of the fact that at key defining moments of the country dialogue has worked in the best interest of the people.”

Last year President Mnangagwa invited the MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora to join the Political Actors Dialogue.

 “In terms of the protocols, the leader of the opposition has to meet the President. In the process, I said to him he is free to join POLAD although POLAD is for principals who participated in the 2018 Presidential elections,” said Mnangagwa.

Meanwhile, the Standard reported that Mwonzora secretly lobbied President Mnangagwa to join him in a self-preservation project to keep up his pretences of being the leader of the opposition.

Mwonzora warms up to POLAD, says it’s a good starting point #ElectionsZW