Back to Index

Zimbabwe opposition dismayed by Annan's withdrawal
ZimOnline
July 04, 2006

http://www.zimonline.co.za/headdetail.asp?ID=12400

HARARE - Zimbabwe's political opposition and civic groups on Monday expressed dismay that United Nations (UN) boss Kofi Annan had let President Robert Mugabe's government off the hook by agreeing to call off a visit to Harare that would have piled up pressure on the government.

Annan said at the weekend that he was no longer visiting Zimbabwe to help resolve the southern African country's deepening crisis because former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa was already on the ground mediating between Mugabe's government and British Premier Tony Blair's government.

The UN chief, who made his U-turn on Zimbabwe after meeting Mugabe privately on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Gambia, had been expected to use the Harare visit to persuade Mugabe to give up power in return for substantial economic aid for his country and immunity from prosecution for human rights crimes committed while in office.

The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) civic alliance that campaigns for a new and democratic constitution for Zimbabwe said the UN secretary general had allowed himself to be misled by Mugabe that the crisis in the country was because of bilateral disagreements and not mismanagement by the 82-year old President.

NCA chairman Lovemore Madhuku said Zimbabweans should expect little from Mkapa's mediation because the Tanzanian was an ally of Mugabe and his ruling ZANU PF party.

"He (Annan) was outmaneuvered by Mugabe because Mkapa's initiatives are based on ZANU PF philosophy," said Madhuku.

Mugabe, in power since Zimbabwe's 1980 independence from Britain, has always insisted that the country's political and economic problems are because of meddling in its affairs by Blair's government which he also accuses of funding the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change party. London denies the charges.

Both factions of the splintered MDC were in agreement that mending of soured relations between London and Harare would not resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe which they said was because of misrule and repression by Mugabe and ZANU PF.

"The political crisis in Zimbabwe is not a bilateral issue between Zimbabwe and Britain," said Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, secretary for international affairs of the main faction of the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

"Mugabe should have the courage to agree that there is a crisis of governance. Land is not at the core of the Zimbabwean crisis. It's not because of the land that there is no rule of law," he added.

Secretary general of the smaller faction of the MDC Welshman Ncube described Mkapa's mediation as a "waste of time" saying the author of Zimbabwe's crisis was Mugabe and his government and not the British government.

"That (Zimbabwe's fall out with Britain) is not Zimbabwe's ailment. They are wasting time. They can have as many mediators as they want and it is not going to work," said Ncube.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions that has threatened street protests over worsening conditions for workers said it did not expect much from Mkapa's efforts which it dismissed as yet another clever "time-buying tactic by Mugabe".

Zimbabwe is in the grip of its worst ever economic crisis characterised by inflation of more than 1 000 percent and shortages of food, fuel, electricity, essential medicines and just about every basic survival commodity.

Many Zimbabweans including some within Mugabe's government say a solution to the political and economic crisis bedevilling the country is only possible if the veteran leader agrees to leave power for a new reformist leader either from his own party or the opposition. - ZimOnline

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP