MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has reportedly demanded the axing of Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi in a list of demands he has reportedly placed before President Emmerson Mnangagwa before he could accept the latter as President.
His spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda said weekend that the opposition leader will not negotiate in public although he could not be drawn into revealing if there was any engagement between the political rivals.
However, Chamisa continues to confide in his close allies and advisers on what he wanted attended to before he could agree on a working relationship with Mnangagwa.
The new state leader has earned his mandate in a national election but is aware of the potential ruin the opposition chief and his party could cause to his rule.
Mnangagwa has publicly declared he has enough personnel within his Zanu PF party to deploy to cabinet positions but is rumoured to be keen on co-opting some opposition politicians as pressure mounts on the Zanu PF administration to finally put the country’s protracted political question to bed and allow the crisis-weary country to chat a new path.
According to one of his confidantes, Chamisa is reportedly driving a hard bargain – some bordering on the ridiculous.
“Nelson Chamisa has now set conditions after Mnangagwa proposed a GNU inclusive cabinet, which among them, is for Mnangagwa to accept defeat and declare him outright winner,” said the source, adding, “…Mnangagwa to collapse his recently set up Presidium structure which includes Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi.”
The VPs took oath of office this past week following Mnangagwa’s own inauguration days before.
The source also said that Chamisa wants the country’s security structure which includes a partisan police and military top brass collapsed with fresh appointments done after consultation with the main opposition.
The opposition chief is reportedly demanding that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission be dismantled with an inquiry into the latter’s conduct in the recent elections instituted.
He wants the realignment of all electoral laws based on the country’s constitution.
“Chamisa wants all government structures to be demilitarised and retire all services chiefs who are over and above 60 years of age.
“They must also be a return to the rule of law by respecting the values of the constitution, military and police must not be biased towards a one party.
“They must be a difference between Zanu PF and the state,” said the source while referring to Chamisa’s demands.
Reached for comment Monday, Sibanda scoffed at the rumours, insisting “the president will not make demands from a loser”.
“He won the elections. So, there is no way he can do such. “He is the legitimate president,” he said.
-New Zimbabwe