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Mbeki expected in Harare today
By Raymond Maingire
HARARE, May 9, 2008 (thezimbabwetimes.com) – South African President, Thabo Mbeki arrives in Harare today (Friday) for yet another round of talks with Zimbabwe’s feuding political parties as international and regional pressure mounts on him to take a tougher stance on President Robert Mugabe.
The Zimbabwean leader is being accused of stifling efforts aimed at resolving Zimbabwe ’s taxing political crisis.
Mbeki is set to meet Mugabe and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) officials over both the electoral deadlock and post-election violence in Zimbabwe.
“Mbeki is coming to Zimbabwe to persuade Mugabe’s government to observe the laws of the country by announcing a date for the Presidential run-off election within the stipulated 21 days of announcing the results.
“He will also discuss the ongoing violence allegedly perpetrated by soldiers on MDC supporters in the rural areas,” a source said.
Reports say the South African leader will also meet Western and regional diplomats based in Zimbabwe to brief them on his efforts.
Mbeki’s visit comes on the heels of a visit by probe team he dispatched this week to look at allegations of post election violence that has devastated the MDC's rural support base.
Sources close to Mbeki’s visit say some international diplomats from countries critical to Mugabe’s controversial rule have resolved to boycott the meeting in protest over Mbeki’s apparent insincerity in resolving Zimbabwe’s deepening crisis.
Zimbabwe’s Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu yesterday refused to comment on Mbeki’s pending visit, saying he had since adopted “a policy of not responding to phone calls” from freelance journalists.
Mbeki was mandated by SADC in March last year to bring President Mugabe’s Zanu-PF and the MDC to the negotiating table. The move was hailed as a positive development aimed at breaking the political impasse between Zimbabwe’s major political protagonists.
Although the two parties struck up concessions on how to proceed with the March 29 elections, the mediation efforts by Mbeki were described as a major failure by most political observers.
Mbeki has come under severe criticism for openly siding with the Zimbabwean leader, in the process failing to persuade Mugabe to cede political ground seen as crucial to resolving Zimbabwe’s 10-year-old crisis.
MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai has also called for Mbeki’s replacement as chief mediator in Zimbabwe citing his alleged bias towards Mugabe.
Mbeki all but dented his role as a credible mediator between Zimbabwe’s political rivals when he publicly denied last month, the existence of any political crisis in Zimbabwe.
Mbeki had made a brief stop over in Zimbabwe to meet Mugabe en route to an emergency SADC Heads of States Summit in Lusaka which was convened by current SADC chairperson and Zambian President, Levy Mwanawasa on April 12 to discuss the election crisis in Zimbabwe.
The meeting was necessitated by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s (ZEC) two week delay (then) to announce results of the Presidential election.
Results released by ZEC last week reveal that President Mugabe, who garnered 43, 2 percent of the valid vote lost to Tsvangirai who received 47, 9 percent. The result was however not enough to secure the MDC leader the presidency as Zimbabwe’s electoral laws prescribe a 50 percent plus majority for one to assume the highest office.
As such, a run-off is imminent between Mugabe and Tsvangirai.
But skepticism is growing around ZEC’s sincerity in calling for an election within the stipulated grace period as George Chiweshe, the chairman of ZEC has stirred more political controversy by suggesting the run off could be delayed by a year.
President Mugabe’s opponents accuse him of manipulating the functions of the electoral body to suit his own political interests.
Angolan President Eduardo dos Santos , who is thecurrentchairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation on Tuesday mandated a SADC ministerial committee to visit the country to assess the political situation and preparations for the run off.
The Angolan leader urged Tsvangirai to abandon any plans to boycott the rub-off to avert what could be a further worsening of the Zimbabwe crisis.
The MDC is adamant Tsvangirai will not take part in the run-off because he won the election by a 50.3 per cent majority.
The MDC also claims its capacity to launch a successful campaign has been compromised by a campaign of punitive violence, which was launched by the armed forces party militants last month on behalf of Zanu PF. At least 24 MDC supporters are said to have died since March 29.
But the Angolan leader has called on Mugabe to ensure the run-off for presidential election is held in a secure environment.
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