Zimbabwe’s Bishop Mutendi sets the tone for national dialogue

He said that although Zimbabwe’s political leaders had engaged in various talks like the 1974 talks that ended the detention of nationalist leaders paving way for dialogue that led to the 1979 Lancaster Conference which culminated in Zimbabwe’s independence; the 1987 talks that ended civil strife in the country; the 2008 talks that brought about the government of national unity; and the talks that brought about a new, home-grown constitution in 2013, the solutions did not last because the talks were elitist and did not include all the people.

It was therefore time to change tact and include everyone but, he added, the talks must be internal.

The MDC has demanded that the Southern African Development Community must mediate with the African Union and the United Nations guaranteeing the talks.

Mnangagwa also advocated internal talks arguing: “We owe it to ourselves as Zimbabweans to raise our country higher up the pecking order of nations. Outsiders can only come to assist us but the prime responsibility for our country’s development remains ours. This is what sovereignty means. Moreover, true peace can never be imposed from outside, but must issue from within our society, and be nurtured by us on the seedbed of dialogue, honesty and mutual respect.”

Bishop Mutendi said that involving outsiders would not provide a lasting solution because they could wreck the unity if they changed their minds about supporting Zimbabwe because they knew where the cracks were.

“You need your neighbours and might ask for salt once in a while but you cannot ask your neighbour “kuti kana tovata mubhedha wedu wotarisa kupi“ (which side should the bed in your bedroom face),” he said.

Bishop Mutendi said Zimbabwe was no worse than other countries around. There were a lot of horrible things that were happening in countries around Zimbabwe but they washed their dirty linen in private. They solved their problems quietly.

“Chakafukidza dzimba matenga,” he said.

Bishop Mutendi said there was no need for outsiders to mediate in the talks because “there should be no fear when you chose to forgive, when you are not bitter with each other”.

United Nations representative to Zimbabwe Bishow Parajuli agreed. He said: “We would like to see this consensus building process to dialogue being nationally led and locally owned. Experiences worldwide and indeed in Zimbabwe show that sustainable peace has a higher chance of lasting when it is nationally led and locally owned and everyone committed.”

But with the two key players avoiding each other, Bishop Mutendi, may have an even bigger role to play in getting them together.

Last November he advised Mnangagwa to talk to Chamisa, warning him: “Torai zvana mutaure nazvo, mugare pasi muhwerekete nazvo. Zvikatogwa navatogwa hamuzozvogoni. Imi rambai muchingotaura nazvo chero zvichiita sepwere ndizvo zvinoita vanhu vakuru, Nyoka huru haizvirumi. Torai muhwereke muwirirane.”

[Talk to the young men before outsiders talk them because you will not be able to get them to the negotiating table if outsiders talk to them first]

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