Mangwana says Chamisa should stop confusing the people with his “madness”

Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front Secretary for Legal Affairs Paul Munyaradzi Mangwana says Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa should stop confusing people with his “madness” because there is no way Zimbabwe can have a transitional government as this is unconstitutional.

Chamisa called for the establishment of a transitional government on Tuesday to pull the country out of the present crisis, but could not say how it would be structured saying this should be left to the parties.

The MDC leader was beaten by ZANU-PF’s Emmerson Mnangagwa in the 30 July elections but continues to dispute the result arguing that he won the elections.

He, however, lost the case at the Constitutional Court but this has not stopped him from continuing to insist he won.

In an interview with the Chronicle, Mangwana said: “Chamisa is a lawyer for starters and should therefore be conversant with provisions of the constitution. This back and forth outcry over the outcome of the harmonised elections will only cause confusion among his followers by giving them false hope.”

Mangwana is a lawyer and was co-chair, together with the MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, of the committee that drafted the 2013 constitution.

The MDC is top heavy with lawyers. Chamisa is a lawyer. His deputy Welshman Ncube is a lawyer and was a law professor, vice-chair Tendai Biti is a lawyer, Mwonzora is  lawyer and spokesman Jacob Mafume is a lawyer, just to name a few.

“Zimbabwe does not need a transitional government,” Mangwana said. “Transiting to where? This country is governed through the constitution which was adopted by more than 90 percent of Zimbabweans in 2013 and the same constitution says a country can only have a so-called transitional government if there is no government.

“Zimbabwe has a government and is led by President Emerson Mnangagwa who was elected by people in terms of the constitution and endorsed by the Constitutional Court. We cannot have a transitional government in an independent sovereign authority.”

The MDC is holding its delayed 19^th independence anniversary this Saturday. The celebrations should have been held in September but they were cancelled because of the cholera outbreak in Harare.

At the time, there were reports that Chamisa would inaugurate himself as the “people’s president” at the function.

It is not clear whether he will go ahead with the inauguration this Saturday.

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