BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE SPECIAL envoys appointed by African Union chairperson, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to probe reports of gross human rights violations in Zimbabwe jetted out of the country yesterday after aborting their proposed meetings with the opposition and civic society groups under unclear circumstances. Baleka Mbete, Sydney Mufamadi and advocate Ngoako Abel Ramatlhodi met President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House and were expected to meet main opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa and civic society organisations. The trio arrived on a fact-finding mission “following recent reports of difficulties that the Republic of Zimbabwe is experiencing”, according to a statement by Ramaphosa’s office last week. MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said they had been formally requested to attend a meeting yesterday with the special envoys, but were surprised after being advised that the envoys were returning to South Africa without meeting them. “Our delegation remained on standby from 10am, but only to be advised at the end of the day that the special envoys would be returning to South Africa without meeting the MDC Alliance delegation in order to brief President Ramaphosa on the outcomes of their meeting with Mnangagwa,” she said in a statement. “We can only assume that the failure to meet the MDC Alliance delegation was as a result of demands made by the Zanu PF delegation.” The MDC Alliance said they had reiterated that Zimbabwe was in a state of crisis that was characterised by a de facto state of emergency, a crackdown on citizens, abductions, and arbitrary arrests of government critics and the political persecution of journalists. “The government in Harare is incapable of resolving these challenges because it lacks legitimacy. We are of the firm view that any solution to the ongoing socio-economic challenges lies in resolving the political crisis and answering the outstanding legitimacy question,” Mahere said. The MDC Alliance spokesperson said it was clear that Mnangagwa was not ready to resolve the national crisis through genuine dialogue. “However, the deteriorating plight of the Zimbabwean people means that a political settlement is more urgent than before,” she said. However, a reliable source said the envoys were denied access to opposition politicians and civic society, with Mnangagwa insisting that there was no crisis in the country despite the blatant human rights violations since the run-up to the July 31 anti-corruption protests. Addressing journalists after meeting Mnangagwa, Mufamadi yesterday said the envoys were reading the situation in Zimbabwe. “We were listening to the reading of the situation, what is being done or the intention to do what strategy. I know you will not ask us to report to our President through the media. We will be reporting to the President who will interact with the public,” he said. Mnangagwa called the allegations “divisive falsehoods” in his Heroes Day speech, repeating his claim that he was under renewed attack from domestic and foreign oppone