Chamisa dismisses talk of secret talks with Mnangagwa, says free media needed for credible polls
Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party, has dismissed rumours of secret talks between him and President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
In a meeting with journalists in Harare on Friday, Chamisa said he has not spoken to Mnangagwa since 2018 when they both visited the late Morgan Tsvangirai.
“We have never had a phone call; we have never had a conversation,” he said.
Chamisa lamented the political capture of Zimbabwe’s media, saying there is little difference between state-run papers like The Herald and pro-ZANU PF outlets. He called for free and independent media to regulate itself through a media council.
“No election can ever be deemed credible, free and fair in the absence of a free, non-partisan and independent media,” Chamisa told journalists.
While disagreements are inevitable in society, he urged Zimbabweans to unite for the country’s good.
Chamisa’s dismissal of secret talks and call for media reforms suggests he is preparing for elections against Mnangagwa and ZANU PF. He said a truly free media would play a pivotal role in lubricating Zimbabwe’s “poisoned environment” and creating greater transparency around the polls.
The CCC leader’s comments underline the deep political divisions in Zimbabwe and the work still needed to ensure any elections are credible and represent the will of the people.
