MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday said Zimbabwe was facing an implosion due to a multi-layered crisis and only a “transitional mechanism” can rescue the country.
Chamisa told The Standard in an exclusive interview that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government had run out of ideas to address the many problems facing the country.
“We are in a disaster,” he said. “There is no income, no foreign investments, no jobs, nothing and it is a tinderbox, it is an explosion, everything is going southward.
“The centre can no longer hold.
“More than eight million people are facing starvation and this situation does not require a business-as-usual approach.”
Chamisa said Zimbabwe’s problems could only be addressed when all citizens are involved in finding solutions.
“We need a transitional mechanism to soft-land the crisis,” he said.
“We need nation building and consensus to extricate ourselves out of this problem in the country.
“With service delivery collapse, economic collapse, corruption flourishing, human rights abuses on the increase, victimisation of lawyers, attacks on human rights defenders, attacks on journalists, diplomats and non-governmental organisations, everyone seems to be under attack.
“It’s a state that seems to be in a difficult position and they are seeing enemies everywhere.”
Security chiefs last week claimed there were rumours that some people were plotting a coup against Mnangagwa.
Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe, who addressed a press conference flanked by army, police and intelligence bosses, accused former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere and MDC Alliance vice-chairperson Job Sikhala of being behind the “rumour-mongering”.
Chamisa said the transitional mechanism must be a “creature of a national consensus and a comprehensive settlement anchored on reforms”.
“That’s what is going to save this country and the sooner we achieve that the better,” he said.
“The country cannot proceed like this; the environment is too toxic, let us detoxify our environment.
“We must have a legitimate state, not a contested state.
“Organs of the state must be out of partisan politics. They must not be deployed for partisan acts.
“We now have a culpable state.”
Mnangagwa is accused of launching a crackdown against his opponents to entrench his power at a time the economic crisis in the country is deepening.
