Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 03:23 pm
Sweden has pledged to support Zimbabwe’s re-engagement agenda only if President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa, had engaged for a dialogue.
In a report written by former MDC Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora, the Swedish government and Speaker of Parliament told the five-member delegation led by Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, that Zimbabwe also needed to implement intended reforms.
Mwonzora further reported that the delegation comprised of Kindness Paradza, Joshua Sacco of Zanu PF and Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga of the MDC-T, himself and Mudenda had a torrid time convincing Sweden to support Zimbabwe’s re-engagement agenda.
Part of the report, that was also handed to Chamisa, read:
The ministry officials then made the following promises: That Sweden would advocate for Zimbabwe’s re-engagement only if there was dialogue between Nelson Chamisa and Emmerson Mnangagwa. It called on Zimbabwe to sort out its currency problems.
It called for specific programmes to advance gender issues, including gender budgeting, it called for programmes to make sure the people were effectively involved in the political affairs of Zimbabwe and that key reforms had to be expedited.
Mwonzora added that the Swedish parliament expressed concern over human rights violations in Zimbabwe.
Mudenda confirmed to the News Day that he had met with Swedish authorities but could not divulge on what had transpired. Mudenda reportedly said that a report which was still being compiled would be made available in due season.
