Can someone in MDC explain to the country what with all the combined brains and years of passive resistance experience, WHY, WHY, WHY THEY HAD SIGNED WITHOUT FIRST AGREEING ON THE CONTETIUS ISSUES. Power sharing is about the government not being included in the government.

I find it strange that as his position in SA became increasingly insecure, Mbeki finally pulled an agreement out the hat, despite having 8 years to make a real difference to Zimbabwe's issues. The deal was rushed through to signature as Mbeki's fate was becoming clear, and who knows what pressures were brought to bear on Tsvangerai to sign so that Mbeki could have his glory moment and try to shore up his position. I note that since Mbeki lost his position he has been in no rush to resolve the critical issues his agreement didn't cover. Zanu PF's behaviour since the signing have shown that this can become the 'bad deal' the MDC warned about. If Zanu do not adhere to the spirit and the letter of the agreement and share power meaningfully 50/50, it is then time for the MDC to walk out and it is then time for the people of Zimbabwe to stand up for themselves and be counted. The people vastly outnumber the army, police and militia. In South Africa, the people showed they could resist meaningfully despite living in a police state.

You will notice that Jacob Zuma has not put himself forward to step into the mediator's seat. Instead he has pushed Thabo Mbeki's name whilst Mbeki, as you quite rightly say, appears to have kept a very slow profile. I suspect that Zuma knows that the power sharing agreement has not got an earthly chance of success and does not want to be seen in any way to have been associated with a failure. Similarily, I think that Mbeki realises that his coercion of Tsvangirai could only work for a limited time and that he would like some one else to take the blame if and when the whole agreement starts to untangle. There is as much dirty politics south of the Limpopo at play here as there are to the north.

Katz, the problem in Zimbabwe is not Mbeki or Zuma, but Zimbabweans themselves. I think enough has been said about Mbeki who bowed out/booted out by his own party. True change in Zimbabwe will come when all the parties are tired and the country has totally collapsed, then an inside Zimbabwe regime change will happen. I cannot see foreigners effecting real changes in Zimbabwe. Not even the BBC can influence Zimbabweans, with their many propaganda articles on Zimbabwe!!

Zanu-pf, has been plotting each day and night how to weaken Tsvangirai. I was never too craze about government of national unity (GNU), although admittedly most Zimbabweans are in favor of it. I would have preferred to see Morgan Tsvangirai continue to fight Mugabe, not in GNU, but as a strong opposition leader. Understanbly, Tsvangirai feared for his life if he abandoned GNU.

Phiri - I don't disagree with your comment. You say "True change in Zimbabwe will come when all the parties are tired and the country has totally collapsed, then an inside Zimbabwe regime change will happen. "

What is remarkable is the capacity of Zimbabweans who are living in the country to endure what is going on there.(Perhaps its the frog in the boiling water syndrome.) It is equally remarkable the degree to which Mugabe and his cohorts have put their desire to protect their positions ahead of the suffering of their fellow citizens.

MDC MUST pull out of the agreement and the sooner the better. Then the focus can get back to zanu-pf and hopefully real change will then occur sooner than later.

Tsvangi and his MDC can always leave and go and leave in exile, eg, in Lobatse. Let the MDC walk out of the talks and also walk out of the country and leave ZANU to contend with the mess. l am sure ZANU is capable of sorting out the problems in the end. When??? Dont ask me! Alternatively, the MDC should stop bickering and join the imperfect Gvt of Unity and let things take their course. Politicians come and go .... all born of a woman are born to die, all born of fresh are born to die and so whoever you are , wherever you are, you will die one day. so get on with it Tsvangi, join the gvt.

just wait to see how the imminent ANC split would spur competitive politics in SA, which will be a deathblow to the lunatic Mugabe. The ANC was too complacent with the comrade in arms of the liberation era!

Where will Mugabe and his cronies run to for protection? The suffering Zimbabwe people will certainly go for his skin!

All zim ever needed was and is a voting system which cannot be frauded. The west refused to allow this. Alex weir. Harare

Alex, stop talking out your ar$e. You have no evidence of this, yet you continually post it. The west would love to have the people of Zimbabwe heard. Do you think Mugabe would have ever accepted a voting system that he couldnt rig in his favour if he had too? Wake the fuck up.