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Herald Reporter

The Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) has criticised the MDC Alliance for causing mayhem at a time when the country needs unity of purpose in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges.

POLAD chairman for Information, Communication and Publicity, Mr Nesbert Mtengezanwa yesterday told The Herald that it was unfortunate that the MDC Alliance had persisted with its destructive approach at a time Zimbabweans needed to focus on solutions to build the nation.

Mr Mtengezanwa urged the opposition outfit to prioritise the betterment of people’s livelihoods and desist from cheap political gimmicks aimed at causing despondency.

“As for the MDC issue, I think it’s just a matter of people who have failed in all their strategies and now they want to remain relevant by hook or by crook.

“As a party they knew what the MOU of the alliance said and how it was formulated .I hope one day soon they will overpower the pride in them and focus on real issues on the ground,” he said.

Mr Mtengezanwa castigated MDC Alliance for proving detrimental to President Mnangagwa’s re-engagement efforts by spreading falsehoods that Government had abducted three of its members while also aiming to cause despondency among the general citizenry.

These sentiments also come on the back of Mr Nelson Chamisa’s recent efforts to direct his legislators to initiate a parliamentary boycott which eventually failed after 15 of the legislators attended Tuesday’s National Assembly sitting, saying they were fulfilling a mandate on behalf of those who elected them.

Meanwhile, Mr Mtengezanwa said the political platform launched by President Mnangawa last year as part of political reforms had not met since the national lockdown due to the Covid-19, but respective parties are doing their work.

“Due to the situation (Covid-19) as a group we have not been able to have a meeting to discuss a way forward on Covid-19, but we are encouraging members to help each other,” he said.

Mr Mtengezanwa said the platform had since created thematic committees whose progress had been stalled by the pandemic.

The international relations committee had plans to travel to the European Union, United States of America and other Western countries to lobby for the removal of sanctions that have crippled the country’s economy, but these were put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“These committees started their meetings in January 2020 and engaging with respective stakeholders. Only to be disturbed by Covid-19.”

Polad is a platform for political parties that fielded Presidential candidates in the 2018 harmonised elections. It was established to ensure collective efforts in Zimbabwe’s socio-economic and political development.