Washington, D.C. — Zimbabwe's economic slide will accelerate and political tensions heighten over the next two months, warned a delegation of the Movement for Democratic Change, in Washington to meet with State Department officials and members of Congress.
"The situation in Zimbabwe is very tense," said Fletcher Dhulini Ncube, leader of the six-person delegation. He is a member of Parliament and MDC Shadow Minister for Industry and Commerce.
For weeks there have been rumors that the MDC is planning nationwide protests. Ncube says pressure for protest action is coming from the grassroots, not the MDC leadership. "We cannot stop people from taking these actions because they are fed up. To defuse the situation we need Mugabe to step down."
To that end, the delegation is proposing several steps that can be taken by the United States:
-- A travel ban on Mugabe, his wife, and other top ZANU-PF leaders
-- A threat to organize an investigation if official violence continues
-- Passage of a revised "Zimbabwe Democracy Bill".
The Zimbabwe Democracy Bill which has passed the U.S. Senate would block assistance to Zimbabwe until a democratic system is in place.
The bill's opponents have pointed out that with a large opposition in Parliament, Zimbabwe's political system cannot be called undemocratic. The parliament may be open to opposition now, says Attorney Brian Kagoro, another delegation member, but "violence that occurred before the elections has continued. Mr. Mugabe has always done these things with impunity and as much as we applaude this election there is a further need to send him a message."
The bill is not likely to be considered before the 106th Congress ends and will have to await decisionmaking by the incomming 107th, which meets first early next year.
For the MDC delegation, everything boils down to Mugabe stepping down.
"The rule of law won't be restored until Mugabe goes," said David Coltart, MDC Shadow Minister of Justice. "We're offering a carrot. We will not prosecute him and he will get his entire retirement package."
ZANU-PF will be holding its party congress next month. Despite some internal pressure on Mugabe to retire, few expect him too.
