In a letter on Tuesday and signed by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, Mnangagwa invited all opposition political parties that participated in general elections held in July 2018 to a meeting to discuss the “framework for post-election dialogue”.
“Each presidential candidate is expected to bring three delegates and for those candidates with parliamentary representation, one extra delegate can be from parliament,” Sibanda said.
The dialogue comes in the wake of a deepening political and economic crisis marked by alleged rights abuses by the security forces and rising prices of basic commodities as well as shortages of foreign currency to import drugs and crucial raw materials.
The Zimbabwean leader has faced serious backlash after he unleashed soldiers and paramilitary police last month to crash a protest against worsening economic conditions. The official tally puts the death toll from the military crackdown at 12 although rights groups say several more have been – and continue to be – killed by soldiers.
Mnangagwa, who came to power on the back of a military coup that ousted former Zimbabwean strongman Robert Mugabe in November 2017, is also facing pressure from a restive civil service that is demanding higher pay and better working conditions.
The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance claims that its leader Nelson Chamisa was robbed of victory in disputed presidential polls held on July 30.
The MDC Alliance leader has been calling for dialogue with Mnangagwa to resolve the political and economic crisis.