It didn’t take long for Zimbabwe opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to voice his displeasure at President Emmerson Mnnagagwa’s plan to offer some of Zimbabwe’s prime real estate to U.S. President Donald Trump. Not only did Chamisa say the offer is illegal but he also describe it as an attempt by Mr. Mnangagwa to ‘”buy legitimacy” after winning a disputed election on July 30.
“Since the US is a law-abiding country, what the offer now means is that the US president will, as a result of Mr. Mnangagwa’s ill-advised move, have to be extremely careful when making policy on Zimbabwe to prevent being construed as reacting positively because of a private business offer,” said Chamisa’s spokesperson, Nkululeko Sibanda.
Sibanda, went on to say Chamisa was “concerned and shocked” over “illegitimate Mnangagwa’s unsophisticated, amateurish PR inspired and on the fly policy approach” and that his actions are costing Zimbabwe’s economy at worst time imaginable.
President Mnangagwa said he made the offer to Trump staffers earlier this year at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. The land under consideration is near Victoria Falls. Mr. Mnangagwa has often spoke of a desire to build a world-class golf course and resort in the region. The land offer is also viewed as part of the Mnangagwa administration’s at normalising relations between the two countries.
The Trump administration wants Mnanagawa to change laws restricting media freedom and anti-government protests.
Mr. Mnanagwa is calling on the U.S. to lift the economic sanctions that are currently in place against Zimbabwe.
