Chamisa says he met Ramaphosa a few days ago

Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa today disclosed that he met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa a few days ago to discuss “a wide range of urgent and important issues”.

He did not give the exact date but on Wednesday Chamisa tweeted that he met South African lawyer Dali Mpofu at Oliver Tambo International Airport on his way back to Zimbabwe.

He tweeted: “I was pleasantly surprised to meet a special brother and Cde, @AdvDali_Mpofu at the OR International Airport. I’m on my way back home after attending to some crucial business in South Africa.”

It seems the business was a meeting with Ramaphosa because this evening he tweeted: “A few days ago I had a fruitful meeting in Pretoria with my distinguished brother & fountain of wisdom, the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency @CyrilRamaphosa on a wide range of urgent & important issues regarding the wellbeing of the people of Zimbabwe.”

Ramaphosa was one of the Southern African leaders who attended President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s inauguration on 26 August after the Constitutional Court upheld his victory on 24 August.

Chamisa had challenged the victory and insists up to today that he does not recognise Mnangagwa as President of Zimbabwe.

He also argues that the present crisis in the country is because of Mnangagwa’s illegitimacy and things will only turn right when Mnangagwa talks to him.

Mnangagwa has ruled out any government of national unity and his lieutenants have said he will only talk to Chamisa once Chamisa has recognised him as the Head of State.

Although Chamisa’s did not disclose the nature of his talks with Ramaphosa, he made the trip at the same time Mnangagwa released the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the 1 August violence which was chaired by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe.

The report blamed the death of six people killed on that day on the military and the police. It,however, said the military deployment was justified because of the violent demonstrations which it said were pre-planned and organised by the MDC.

The Commission recommended that political parties should be encouraged at all times to preach unity for the benefit of all Zimbabweans in order for the people to be able to live together as citizens of one nation despite their political differences.

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