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

Sackur: But the people of Zimbabwe would like to know what that means. For example, there were serious allegations floating around the country about missing billions, revenues from the diamond industry that appear to have gone missing from the government’s balance sheet, and frankly given the way power worked in Zimbabwe for so many years it would appear to have stocked Robert Mugabe’s door and perhaps Grace Mugabe’s tooth, people wanna know. Are you prepared to take Robert and Grace Mugabe into a court room?

Chamisa: If I would be given the chance to drive the vehicle called Zimbabwe into a new dispensation, I cannot be that driver who is driving looking in the rear-view. The past is important but the past should not arrest us.

Sackur: So I will take that as a no, Mr Mugabe and Grace Mugabe can rest easily?

Chamisa: Let us look at Mr Mugabe’s contributions, his omissions and commissions. Let’s say where he has had omissions, we are ready to correct, to repair and of course we need to make sure that those who were affected are compensated so that there’s proper national healing going through.

Sackur: Yes, I suppose nobody would dispute that what Zimbabwe needs right now is mature, responsible, wise leadership? Would it not be true to say that in the months that he has had power Emmerson Mnangagwa has exhibited all those qualities. He did set up a truth and reconciliation commission.  He has insured that the process of establishing rules and parameters of an election are already in place. The ballot papers have been printed. He has assured the international community it will be free and fair and invited the EU and the Commonwealth and others to send monitors, all that you welcome I imagine?

Chamisa: We don’t. In fact there’s a fundamental dispute around the manner in which these elections are being manned in preparation. We are not in agreement in terms of who prints the ballot paper, we are not in agreement in terms of where the ballot paper is going to be, the security of the ballot paper, its distribution, we are not in agreement. And this is three months before an election we are not in agreement in terms of the role that should be played by our important and esteemed security forces in terms of elections, we are not agreed….

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