MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora says he has tried to reach out to rival opposition leader of the MDC Alliance Nelson Chamisa on three different occasions.
Speaking to a local radio station Monday evening, Mwonzora said the responses were a barrage of attacks mainly from the Alliance’s top leadership.
“As a leader, I have tried to reach out to my friends. I have tried to reach out to Nelson Chamisa on more than three occasions. The first one was at a funeral and I said to him in front of everyone that we have no option but to unite the people of Zimbabwe. Number two, we have to work together to resolve the Zimbabwe issues,” Mwonzora.
On whether the funeral was a correct forum to address such a critical issue the MDC-T leader said reaching out is informal.
“I was reaching out and reaching out does not have a venue, you can reach out at any opportune moment and that was the opportune moment where people were mourning a person who was a common friend to both of us.
“There were people who were and were amused to see myself and Advocate Chamisa sitting side by side yet they knew that we had disputes so I did reach out by those words,” he said.
Mwonzora said the responses to the olive branch were insults from the MDC Alliance national spokesperson and secretary for presidential affairs.
“The following day Fadzayi Mahere was calling me names, sellout, Zanu PF and so on. Jameson Timba the secretary for presidential affairs was calling on the doctors to examine my head. So that was the response to this civil approach that I had made,” Mwonzora claimed.
The politics of hate and insults Mwonzora said presents a problem when want to come speak together.
“The politics that my colleagues have adopted is the politics of G40. They are taking the politics of Professor Jonathan Moyo. He is known for brutalising his opponents, for rubbishing his opponents. He is known for hate language and this is the problem.” said Mwonzora.
