By John Mhazo

Pedzisai Ruhanya, the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) director has labeled organizers of violent demonstrations as undemocratic and called on opposition leaders to engage President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the ZANU PF government for a democratic national dialogue to help solve the country’s economic challenges.

Posting on his twitter account, Ruhanya said opposition leaders should desist from posting violent discourses online as means to obtain foreign funding to sustain their livelihoods. This is characteristic of MDC Alliance National Vice Chairman, Job Sikhala and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Tendai Biti who have been in the front of calls for the violent removal of the constitutionally elected ZANU PF government from power.  

“Violent discourses to trap people and get likes on Twitter are not part of my democratic menu. Democracy is peaceful and non-violent…there is nothing impossible in politics and democracy has proved to be the most viable route,” he said.

Ruhanyas’ sentiments come as a voice in the wilderness crying out to, MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa and camp to abandon their confrontational stance and join the rest of opposition leaders in national dialogue through the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD).

Since the formation of POLAD, Chamisa has insisted on President Mnangagwa to engage him directly, while President Mnangagwa has reiterated that there can never be any secret talks outside of POLAD.