A senior MDC Alliance official has called on Zimbabweans to put the interests of the country before their allegiance to political parties.
Takavafira Zhou, who is MDC Alliance spokesperson for Midlands, said the wedge between his party and the ruling ZANU PF continued to hold the country back. He was addressing journalists in Kwekwe at the weekend. Said Zhou:
The challenge with Zimbabweans is to perceive themselves as either ZANU PF or MDC; that is useless.
The most important aspect is that you might be MDC, you might be ZANU PF. The crucial issue where efforts must converge is in terms of ensuring that the nation or Zimbabwe at least progresses, that our economy is ticking, that the livelihoods of Zimbabweans are improving.
Zhou called for dialogue among Zimbabwe’s political parties saying this is important in moving the country forward. He said:
Whatever political parties anyone can belong to, the most important thing is that there must be dialogue, because we are foremost Zimbabweans and we must care to ensure that there is a better Zimbabwe and there is dialogue among political parties.
Zhou, who is also the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president, said President Emmerson Mnangagwa should engage MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa as well as other leaders in dialogue.