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A perspective on the Zimbabwean talks and the election of the Speaker
David Coltart
September 03, 2008

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During the last few weeks there has been frenzied media speculation that Robert Mugabe has entered into, or is about to enter into, a deal with the MDC formation led by Arthur Mutambara (MDC M ). The MDC M in honouring the terms of the MOU has steadfastly maintained a media silence which in turn has created a vacuum of information. That vacuum has been filled by media speculation, propaganda issued by ZANU PF and statements made by leaders of the MDC formation led by Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC T). In addition a few belligerent statements of Arthur Mutambara and the attendance of Arthur Mutambara and other leaders at the Heroes Acre ceremony and elsewhere have reinforced the perception in the minds of the public and that there is indeed a deal. Indeed many newspapers, with some noteworthy exceptions such as the New York Times, have taken it as given that there was a deal reached. Whilst the existence of a deal has been emphatically denied, the controversy surrounding the e lection of Speaker in the last week has served to enhance the perception that there is some deal.

It is my belief that there is a very serious gap between the public's perception of what is taking place and the truth. It also deeply concerns me that even colleagues in the struggle to bring democracy to Zimbabwe appear to have deliberately distorted the truth for partisan ends. I cannot see how that can advance our just cause; all it serves to do is to further divide those who oppose the Zanu PF regime. In short I believe that there needs to be a truth telling so that all those genuinely concerned with the Zimbabwean crisis can be better informed.

I am in the relatively privileged position of being in possession of, in my capacity as secretary for legal affairs of the MDC M, copies of all the documents relating to the ongoing talks, including the document entitled "Framework for a new government" agreed to by all the negotiators on the 28th of July 2008. I have also spoken at length to members of our negotiating team including the Hon. Moses Mzila Ndlovu MP and a member of the technical support team, Josephat Tshuma, who has also been a partner in my law firm for the last 20 years. I should stress that Josephat Tshuma is not a politician but a lawyer of the highest repute, who is not only the present Chairperson of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights but is also one of the lead Counsel in the well-publicised SADC Tribunal case brought recently in Windhoek on behalf of displaced Zimbabwean farmers. In other words much of the information I have is not based on evidence given to me by partisan sources; indeed most of the information I have is based on hard written documentation and the testimony of people who in my experience have a long track record of telling the truth.

Historical context

Much of the hysteria of the last few weeks is based on the widely held perception that somehow the MDC M is to blame in the first place for the MDC T's failure to win both the Parliamentary and presidential elections outright in March. What is commonly leveled against the MDC M is that had the MDC fought the election together Morgan Tsvangirai would have easily secured over 50% of the vote and the combined MDC would have enjoyed comfortable majorities in both the House of Assembly and Senate. It is self evident that had we fought the election together as an MDC coalition many of our current woes would not have arisen. What is not clear is who is to blame.

Whilst all of this is ancient history and it does not serve much purpose in resurrecting these issues, because the MDC M is accused of "selling out" against the backdrop of the March election, it is necessary to recount certain facts in this regard. Firstly, as far back as April 2007 the MDC M, including Arthur Mutambara, agreed that it would support the sole opposition Presidential candidacy of Morgan Tsvangirai. Secondly, it was the MDC T which rejected the agreement reached by the two teams of negotiators in May 2007. Thirdly, in January 2008 the MDC M agreed again to support the sole candidacy of Morgan Tsvangirai. Once again it was the MDC T which rejected the agreement reached this time by the leadership of the two political entities on spurious grounds related to the Parliamentary election, which has always been secondary to the all-important presidential election. When the agreement was rejected by the MDC T on the 3rd February 2008 many MDC T leaders and aspiring MPs were delighted that the coalition had failed; on the contrary virtually all in the MDC M were despondent, including those who had no Parliamentary aspirations. It was only after the rejection of the agreement on the 5th February that Simba Makoni announced his candidacy; having been rejected by the MDC T and rather than confuse the electorate even more by putting up our own candidate, a decision was taken to support Makoni's candidacy. Had the coalition agreement reached in January been honoured by the MDC T there is no way that the MDC M would have supported Makoni's candidacy. Fourthly, after it became clear that there would have to be a Presidential run off election between Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC M threw its full weight behind Tsvangirai's candidacy.

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