allAfrica.com: Southern Africa: SADC Pushes For GNU (Page 1 of 2)

SADC is understood to be pushing for a government of national unity as a solution to Zimbabwe's political crisis, arguing that the anticipated presidential election run-off will not end the impasse. The run-off is expected next month.

Regional diplomatic sources told the Zimbabwe Independent this week that the bloc had mandated South African President Thabo Mbeki to open dialogue on the proposal between bitter rivals President Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC.

Sadc, the sources said, also wanted independent presidential candidate Simba Makoni to be involved in the talks given his appeal among regional leaders who consider him neutral in a crisis worsened by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's failure to announce the outcome of the March 29 presidential poll.

Tsvangirai has since claimed victory in the election while Zanu PF insists that there is need for a run-off because the opposition leader and Mugabe failed to garner the mandatory 50% plus votes to assume office.

"President Mbeki has been mandated by Sadc to facilitate dialogue between Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Makoni," a diplomatic source said.

"The dialogue should culminate in the formation of a government of national unity. Sadc believes that such a government will be a solution to the crisis in the country."

Mbeki was in March last year appointed by Sadc to facilitate talks between Mugabe's Zanu PF and both factions of the MDC to ensure undisputed elections.

The sources said regional leaders were opposed to the presidential run-off, arguing that its outcome would be disputed, especially if Mugabe won.

"It was felt among the leaders that if Mugabe wins, Tsvangirai will reject the outcome. The MDC has since questioned the credibility and impartiality of the electoral commission," one of the sources pointed out.

When Mbeki met Mugabe a fortnight ago, the sources said, he reportedly made the proposal but there was no response from the 84-year-old leader. Hawks in his ruling Zanu PF were reportedly against getting into bed with Tsvangirai.

The sources said Mbeki was expected next week to facilitate high level talks between Zanu PF, the MDC and Makoni's group.

During an extraordinary Sadc summit two weeks ago on the Zimbabwe crisis, Makoni — believed to have come a distant third in the presidential race — proposed a government of national unity to the regional leaders on the sidelines of the meeting.

Makoni reportedly said he wanted to head the transitional government but Tsvangirai shot down the proposal.

"In the presentation they made to the leaders, he (Tsvangirai) contradicted Makoni's reasoning behind a government of national unity," another diplomat said. "Tsvangirai was of the opinion that Makoni had no role to play given that he reportedly got less than 10% of the presidential votes."

Tsvangirai last week said Zanu PF approached the MDC soon after the harmonised elections and proposed a government of national unity, but the talks collapsed when hardliners in the ruling party called them off.

He said he was prepared for a government of national unity in which he would be the president.

But the Sadc transitional government talks, the sources said, would have to reach a consensus on who should lead it.

Makoni's movement has since endorsed the formation of a transitional government.One of the top members of the movement, former Zanu PF politburo member Dumiso Dabengwa, last week said: "We as Kusile (the Makoni project) have appealed to all parties to engage in dialogue.

This was also the call from President Mugabe in his (Independence Day) address… when he said he hoped for dialogue."

The diplomatic sources said Sadc leaders were last week irked by Tsvangirai's call for Mbeki to be relieved of his mediation duties and replaced by Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa who is the bloc's chairperson.

Tsvangirai's call, the sources said, revealed his shortcomings on the diplomatic front.

"Instead of rallying the Sadc leaders together to rein in Mugabe, Tsvangirai wanted to divide the regional leaders," a source said.

"The humiliating response from Mauritius where the heads of state were meeting on Saturday and the announcement from Zambia that Mwanawasa was not interested and that he trusts Mbeki have dealt a fatal blow to any hope that Sadc can be persuaded to see things the way Tsvangirai does."

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