PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa (pictured) says he has no basis to hold talks with MDC leader Nelson Chamisa as long as the opposition politician does not recognise him as the country’s legitimate leader.

He also said the use of lethal force by the military to crackdown on dissent was justified.

Rights groups say at least 12 people were killed by security forces when a three-day strike called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) over a 150% fuel prices hike announced by Mnangagwa turned into violence and looting. Police have said only three people, including a law enforcement official, died and that over 1 000 people were arrested.

The brutal suppression of the protests has led to comparisons with the dark days of Mnangagwa’s predecessor Robert Mugabe, who was removed from office in a coup in November 2017. With inflation at a 10-year high of 42,09%, a chronic cash shortage and regular increases in the prices of goods and services biting, while salaries have stagnated, Zimbabweans have lost patience with Mnangagwa.

The President defended the army’s actions, which witnesses say included night-time raids on homes of and arbitrary assaults of alleged protesters.

“We have been accused of using disproportionate force, but these protesters were burning down police stations and various infrastructure, including toll-gates along our highways,” he told a group of journalists at State House on Wednesday.

“I am not sure how we were supposed to respond to that. Western countries, in particular, have raised concerns. Of course, we regret the loss of life, but we needed to protect
property as well as other citizens not involved in the protests. We have told the Western countries that they cannot turn around and raise concerns when they are the ones sponsoring the violence.”

For the first time, the Zanu PF leader responded directly to repeated calls by Chamisa for dialogue to resolve Zimbabwe’s political logjam in the aftermath of last year’s presidential election narrowly won by Mnangagwa, but challenged by the opposition.

Chamisa approached the Constitutional Court in a bid to overturn the electoral outcome, but the petition was dismissed for lack of evidence by the apex court. But the opposition leader has maintained he won the election and wants Mnangagwa to relinquish power.

The MDC leader early this week told journalists that Mnangagwa’s legitimacy would be key to dialogue.

Source:Newsday