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Zimbabwe: Mbeki on Mission to Clear Talks Hurdles
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Business Day (Johannesburg)
30 July 2008
Posted to the web 30 July 2008
Dumisani Muleya
Johannesburg
BARRING last-minute changes, President Thabo Mbeki will visit Zimbabwe today for crucial meetings with that country's main political parties and their leaders involved in power-sharing talks, in a bid to clear hurdles to a final agreement.
Mbeki's surprise trip to Harare could make or break the negotiations, which are at a delicate stage.
Despite reports the talks stalled on Monday, informed sources said "tremendous progress" had been made, although there were a "few critical issues to sort out". They said all issues on the agenda had been agreed upon, except the sticking point of positions and powers.
"The final agreement is almost there, but there are a few issues on posts and political jurisdiction that need to be finalised," a source said. "Mbeki has tabled a draft proposal and this is what they are trying to clear before a final agreement is written, adopted and signed."
Mbeki said in a joint conference with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak yesterday in Pretoria that the talks had been adjourned and had not failed.
Mubarak, who has been in power about as long as President Robert Mugabe, is in SA on an official visit.
Mbeki is expected to meet Mugabe and Zanu (PF) negotiators Patrick Chinamasa and Nicholas Goche. He is also due to meet opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara.
Tsvangirai's emissaries, Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma, and Mutambara's envoys, Welshman Ncube and Priscillah Misihairabwi-Mushonga, will also attend the meetings. Mbeki's mediators, Sydney Mufamadi, Frank Chikane and Mojanku Gumbi will also be there.
The Zanu (PF) negotiators flew back to Harare on Monday.
The MDC participants including Tsvangirai, who was in SA, were due to return home last night.
Mbeki would follow today for the meetings ahead of an emergency gathering of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) organ on politics, defence and security in Angola on Friday.
Presidential spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga was unable to confirm or deny Mbeki's trip to Harare.
The SADC organ meeting has been called to discuss the Zimbabwe crisis in the light of the talks.
Sources said today's meetings would focus on resolving outstanding issues -- including Tsvangirai's position -- which led to the adjournment of the talks on Monday.
It is said that Tsvangirai is earmarked for the anticipated post of prime minister, while Mugabe would remain as executive president.
Some of Tsvangirai's supporters are said to object to this proposal, as they feel he would be ineffective unless he has executive authority. Tsvangirai is also said to have been offered -- and to have rejected -- the post of third vice-president.
However, last week Mugabe and Tsvangirai had apparently agreed to a power-sharing arrangement and positions after private meetings at the Rainbow Towers hotel in Harare.
A government of national unity deal was expected soon after the breakthrough meetings.
Informed sources said the constitution would soon be amended to facilitate the envisaged agreement. They said a 19th constitutional amendment was to be a transitional mechanism between the present constitution and an expected new one.
The amendment would be largely designed to accommodate Tsvangirai and other MDC officials in the new government.
The number of appointed senators would be increased from five to 11 to make space for MDC appointees, including Tsvangirai and Mutambara. In terms of the constitution, no one can be appointed to the cabinet without being elected to parliament.
Currently, Mugabe can appoint only five senators, not enough to accommodate losing Zanu (PF) candidates and unelected MDC officials.
The acting spokesman for Tsvangirai's MDC faction, Tapiwa Mashakada, said last night negotiators were on their way back home for "consultations with their principals".
"The talks have adjourned. Negotiators are coming back to consult their principals and give a comprehensive briefing to the parties. After that the talks will resume," he said.
Mbeki has also said the talks had not broken down, but had adjourned until the weekend. This came after Tsvangirai's camp claimed the talks had stalled.
A senior member of Mutambara's faction closely following the negotiations said: "The talks have not collapsed, as claimed. In fact, tremendous progress has been made and we expect a final deal very soon."
Mutambara said at the weekend the "process we have started will result in a political settlement to this impasse".
Zimbabwe's Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said in the state media yesterday talks were progressing well despite threats posed by the US and European Union targeted sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies.
The current round of talks started on July 10 in Pretoria and are expected to end on Monday.
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A memorandum of understanding to pave the way for substantive talks was signed last week in Harare.
This is not going to solve Zimbabwe's problems, just postpone them to the next election. Have we not learnt anything from the ZANU-PF/PF-ZAPU saga. Mugabe silences the opposition by killing them, then making a peace offering until he is threatened with loss of power. The MDC should pull out of the talks, the rot will take care of Mugabe as he runs out of money and options.
Hey its a pity some people want the crisis in Zim to continue. People are sufering and the best way is the talks. there is no winner takes all in politics, in anything. The talks are a great opportunity to get Zimbabwe on track. And the words like you have just said are inconsiderate to the people who are facing problems on the ground. Be sure of one thing, if talks stall, Mugabe and Tsvangirai will be the last to feel the effects. dont be ignorant....politricks is just that tricks...
The majority of Zimbabweans have voted for MDC to assume power.
If Mbeki is going to Harare to squeeze Mugabe to accept the symbolic post of non-exec President to make room for MDC to occupy the executive post of PM, so far so good. Mbeki's help will thus be immensely invaluable in implementing the respect of the will of the majority in Zimbabwe.
Can he circumvent the tricks of the shrewd and cumming Mugabe? It is indeed in Mugabe's interest to bow down. But can this hardheaded tyrant see the writings on the wall? His cronies surrounding him in their... [Read Full Text]
Mbeki is as corrupt as the rest of them. Can the world not see that he is favour of the Zanu-PF regime. We all know the history of him and Mugabe and the family ties that bind them together. Surely the right thing for him to have done was to make sure that the Dictator in Zimbabwe (Mugabe) was removed from power due to the highly illegal and contraversial elections that took place. We are all going on about that crazy Karadzic going to the Hague for the atrocious war crimes he committed. Surely Mugabe should also go on trial... [Read Full Text]
Mugabe continues to be one of Africa's greatest embarrassments and shames. This entire process (of renegotiating a stolen election) can be summed up in one phrase; "I want to continue stealing". Anything or anyone that gets in the way will be steamrollered, killed, dispatched, fudged, lied about, lied to, negotiated to death, dismissed or just ignored. What a complete waste of an opportunity. The best (or worst) part of the situation is that Zim's money, with bills now into the hundreds of billions, are used as a joke on international television. All the world can laugh... [Read Full Text]
Please wake up cde Akafunde1! Join us in denouncing the rottens of today who want at all cost to cling to power illegally.
Don't wait for freedom loving people to come to your rescue until after you witness Mugabe and thugs kill, maim or rape your wife, daughter or sister. Sorry, it's a very blunt way put it. 5 million Zimbabweans like you had to seek refuge in SA just because they do not want to get crushed under the terror of murderer Mugabe.
You concede he has murdered and butchered. Join us and be by the side of those... [Read Full Text]
In that case STOP forthwith denouncing Bush and Blair for all the kids and women they have killed in iraq etc...because in your twisted little murderous mind...they are GREAT men!!! you are a disgrace to africans...I hope you are not in daily contact with foreigners for they will all and one walk away convinced that Africans are THICK murdering thugs!!!!
Matin in Canada...a great post...please keep your common sense posts flowing and ignore these boneheads on here who will justify rape to make RGM(as they laughingly call the little thug) look saintly!!!!
couldnt agree more turnex
Sooooooooooo, what you are saying is that because it is politics that it is ok to murder and torture your own people ..... and judging by the wording of your post thatv is exactly what you have said ..... How lucky we are not to live in Zimbabwe if your thoughts on the world are so narrow and cold.
I think it is you who ought to grow up and realise that governments ought to be in place to serve their countries, not the other way round (and yes I am part of groups in my own country trying to... [Read Full Text]
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