Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

'Believe in us, don't be paranoid about Mugabe', says Tsvangirai
The Times
September 17, 2008

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article4769722.ece

Morgan Tsvangirai, the Prime Minister-designate of Zimbabwe's incoming transitional Government, urged the West on Monday not to withhold desperately needed funds because of paranoia about President Mugabe's presence in the new administration.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Times, he said: "One has to understand we have entered into this deal with the object of transforming this country. Mugabe may appear as an aberration to the West, but he has entered into an agreement with us.

"They should have belief and faith with us, instead of being paranoid with Mugabe."

Barely a day after he signed the power-sharing agreement between the 84-year-old Mugabe and the leader of a lesser faction of the Movement for Democratic Change, there was still evidence of a celebration held at Mr Tsvangirai's modest suburban home. Empty beer and soft-drink bottles were stacked in crates.

But a reminder of the country's dire economic plight and crumbling infrastructure came during the interview, when the water supplies ran dry.

The new Government's business was due to start on Monday, when the three groups were supposed to divide ministerial portfolios among themselves, with 15 to Mr Mugabe's Zanu (PF) and 16 shared between the two MDC factions. However, talks stalled prematurely, amid an apparent dispute among Zanu (PF) members over who would remain in government.

"It appears to have been delayed by Mugabe having to attend to his own party," Mr Tsvangirai said. "Hopefully tomorrow."

Mr Tsvangirai would not discuss the allocation of ministries, but the MDC is understood to be prepared to leave Zanu (PF) in control of the Defence Ministry - thereby keeping the generals who have supported Mr Mugabe on side. The MDC is determined to run the Home Affairs Ministry, including the police.

Mr Tsvangirai dismissed suggestions that Mr Mugabe would attempt to reverse the agreement and restore himself to exclusive power. He also pledged to guard against a return to the bloody campaign of violence unleashed before presidential run-off elections in June when more than 120 people were murdered by state-directed forces. "It was the darkest period in our history that the Army and other paramilitary militias were unleashed against unarmed civilians," he said. "It can never be allowed to happen again.

"I don't think it is possible. We want to make sure there is the rule of law, and no impunity from the law. All I can tell you is that I am confident that given the agreement we have signed, we are all committed to ensuring security of persons, and that there is no violence against the people."

He also rejected fears that senior military officers who ran the violent destabilisation operations against the MDC now posed a threat to his participation in the Government.

"They are national institutions, but they have to be professionalised so they protect the country from external threat. We went into the agreement that the security forces would carry out that function. For any internal subversion, the police have sufficient powers to deal with it." He trod carefully over the issue of the country's 4,000 highly productive white farmers driven off their land since Mr Mugabe launched his disastrous land resettlement programme in 2000. The agreement signed on Monday states that the state of land occupation since then has to remain irreversible.

Asked if white farmers would be put back on the land to produce food in what otherwise promises to be the country's worst agricultural season yet, Mr Tsvangirai said: "Let's not have this racial divide between black and white. We are talking of farmers. We have to give sufficient support and capacity for people to produce. Zimbabwe must encourage farmers of all colours to produce.

"The issue of white farmers has to be discussed in the context of land ownership," he said. "That will be dealt with by an independent land commission, where the issue of multiple farm ownership will have to be dealt with."

There were signs of change to the cronyism of the Mugabe era. A suburban supermarket received a large consignment of sugar on Monday, and a long queue formed. A gang of Mr Mugabe's "war veteran" militia arrived and, as is usual, demanded the lion's share. "Police were already there, controlling the queue," said a witness. "They ordered the war vets to get into the queue like every one else. They obeyed."

It was the same in a queue for cash outside a city centre building society, where uniformed soldiers pushed to the front of the queue. "People told them to get to the back," said a security guard. "They were shouting, 'things have changed now'. The soldiers did as they were told."

A senior riot police officer sending his men to deal with a mob of stone-throwing Zanu (PF) youths outside the conference centre where the agreement was signed, said: "You better deal with this according to the book, and not by political favour." He was overheard telling his men: "Tomorrow you are going to be accountable."

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