Judge for yourself: Transcript of BBC Hardtalk interview with Nelson Chamisa

Sackur: I suppose the danger is that some of your supporters have picked up habits perhaps even in tips from the way in which ZANU-PF with Mugabe has run Zimbabwe for so many years. In other words they are bad habits that have been formed in Zimbabwe and your party now seems to have taken some of them on board itself.

Chamisa: I can tell you that the Movement for Democratic Change is a happy family of democrats. All those elements that are bent on using violence to transact politics have been dealt with and shall be dealt with.

Sackur: In what way, you say ‘been dealt with’, that’s a broad term, can you be specific with me, what has happened, have they been expelled from the party, have they faced justice, have they been in the courts?

Chamisa: We chuck out all the culprits and we also appeal to the police at any given point in time as we did in Buhera to help us deal with those culprits. In fact, our grapple, our complaint was to do with the police themselves who actually did not do anything about it when in fact they were the ones who were escorting the colleagues that were affected.

Sackur: Let’s just talk a little bit about the legacy of Robert Mugabe before we get into the election, the policy platforms and your rivalry with Mr Mnangagwa for the presidency. Robert Mugabe is now in retirement. He is living in a rather grand house with Grace. And not being bothered by anybody. Now you described the treatment you received from his ZANU-PF and security officials during your political career. Do you want Robert Mugabe to face the courts, to face justice?

Chamisa: Well I must say that Mr Mugabe is part of our past, he’s part of our old order and I have no time for us to be pursuing the past, to be pursing the old order. Our critical challenge going forward is to make sure that we resolve fundamental deep and structural issues that are affecting our society.

Sackur: Well of course deep structural issues aah including surely an accounting for terrible violence around the killings for example where thousands and thousands of people were killed. Wouldn’t Zimbabwe be a healthier society if people were held to account for what happened?

Chamisa: Indeed they have to account. Part of what I’m going to do under my new administration starting from July after the election is to institute a truth, forgiveness, reconciliation and compensation programme across the whole country. To look at our checkered past, to investigate it to be truthful about it and to be humble about  it so that we create a new chapter going forward based on peace, based on reconciliation but also more importantly based on nation-building, part of the legacy of Mr Mugabe…..

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