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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
MDC-T president Dr Thokozani Khupe has said she will engage President Mnangagwa on national development and does not mind being branded a sellout for wanting a better life for Zimbabweans.
Dr Khupe who is also the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament made the remarks on Tuesday while debating President Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) which he delivered last Thursday.
She said her vision is that the opposition should make Government accountable to citizens as opposed to having politicians pushing their personal interests at the expense of everyone.
Dr Khupe is already part of the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad), a platform for political leaders and parties which participated in the 2018 harmonised elections.
Polad allows various political parties to contribute to the national development agenda but the MDC Alliance led by Mr Nelson Chamisa opted not to join the platform.
Dr Khupe said she does not regret engaging President Mnangagwa.
She said through communicating with the President, concerns from all citizens can be addressed.
“I would like to challenge leaders; that as leaders, let us be transformative leaders, leaders who are going to move away from advancing their own personal interests and move forward for the common good.
“Let us all work towards the common good and the common good is a better life for every Zimbabwean. I would like to say this, as the Leader of Opposition I am going to be dialoguing with the President for a better life for everyone,” said Dr Khupe.
“I know there are people who have the notion that whoever dialogues with the President is selling out and like I said earlier on I am going to be dialoguing for a better life for all. I would like to say this because it is important. If those who think that dialoguing with the President is selling out and I said I’m going to be dialoguing for a better life, then let me be a sellout but I will deliver a better life to everyone at the end of the day.”
She said she wants to redefine the role of the opposition in the country from having an acrimonious relationship with Government through dialogue to transform lives of citizens.
“I would like to begin by talking about the role of the opposition. Our role is to question Government and hold them to account for their actions to the public.
“Our role is to represent the alternative government and therefore we are responsible for challenging Government policies and proffering solutions. Our role is to be the eyes and the ears of what the people are saying out there concerning their needs and aspirations and then come to this august House to raise those issues so that remedies and solutions are found and everyone has a better life,” she said.
Dr Khupe said her party will play an oversight role for all citizens in the country which Government should serve.
She said politics should shift from the election discourse to a developmental one.
“I would like to assure Zimbabweans that going forward, we will make sure as MDC-T that we perform our representative, legislative and oversight roles to the best of our ability and knowledge.
“I would also like to state categorically that our purpose as MDC-T is not just about power and positions. Our purpose is about advancing the interests of the 14,6 million Zimbabweans so that they have a better life,” she said.
“The sad reality is that for others, it is about power and positions: for the reason that I did not get power and position that I wanted, Parliament must not operate; because I did not get the power and position that I wanted, Zimbabwe must come to a standstill, because I did not get power and position that I wanted the country must be burnt down.” — @nqotshili
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