Published by the government of Zimbabwe
12 May 2008
Harare — GOVERNMENT says it will not invite international observers to monitor the presidential run-off unless sanctions are removed and has at the same time castigated Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, the current Sadc chairperson, for his failure to urge the United States and Britain to lift the illegal embargo.
Addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Zanu-PF media sub-committee chairperson Cde Patrick Chinamasa accused some Western countries of being "players" in Zimbabwe's politics, saying the Government would not succumb to pressure from MDC-T to invite the United Nations and hostile Western countries.
"We will not allow them (Western countries) because they are players. We will think favourably of them if they lift sanctions. Until they do that, there is no basis to have any relationship with them," Cde Chinamasa said.
Dismissing Morgan Tsvangirai's call for the UN to monitor the presidential run-off, whose date is yet to be announced, Cde Chinamasa said it was not possible because the world body did not monitor the 1980 elections.
Addressing reporters in Pretoria, South Africa, on Saturday, Tsvangirai said his party would take part in the run-off on condition that "violence is halted, Sadc deploys peacekeepers and international observers are allowed into the country".
He demanded that the run-off should be held on May 23 according to the electoral law, which stipulates that in the event that no candidate garners an absolute majority, a run-off should be held within 21 days of the announcement of the first round results.
Tsvangirai also demanded that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission should be reconstituted.
"Tsvangirai continues to play victim on a number of issues. He wants the UN to observe the elections yet the UN did not observe the 1980 elections. We will act in accordance with our electoral laws as negotiated in our Sadc dialogue," Cde Chinamasa said.
He also said that the so-called conditions lacked merit.
"Tsvangirai seeks to introduce new rules in a game that has already started. He should stop playing or acting like a spoilt child," Cde Chinamasa said.
Zimbabwe invited friendly nations to observe the March 29 harmonised elections, made up of 47 regional and sub-regional countries as well as countries from Africa, Asia, the Americas and a sole one from Europe -- Russia.
The Government said it excluded those countries and organisations with a preconceived notion that the only free and fair elections where those in which the opposition emerged victorious.
Cde Chinamasa said the law provides that ZEC could extend the election date, stressing that Zanu-PF was also anxious to have the run-off take place.
He added that the playing field was heavily tilted against Zanu-PF with the international media like the British Broadcasting Corporation, Sky News, Cable News Network and pirate radio stations reporting in favour of MDC-T.
Cde Chinamasa said even the local and regional private media were covering the opposition party positively as compared to the way they were covering Zanu-PF and asked why Tsvangirai would want ZEC to be reconstituted.
"ZEC has a five-year term running . . . There is no merit in the call by Tsvangirai that it should be reconstituted," Cde Chinamasa said.
He pointed out that the commission comprised of persons nominated by both Zanu-PF and MDC, saying he could give names of individuals working in the electoral body that were put forward by the opposition.
Cde Chinamasa described Sadc chairperson Mr Mwanawasa's failure to call for the lifting of illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Britain and its Western allies as a "disappointment" to Zanu-PF.
"Sadc undertook to call for the lifting of the illegal sanctions, but Mr Mwanawasa as the chairperson has not done so yet. It is his obligation to implement the resolution issued at the extraordinary summit held in Tanzania last year to remove immediately all forms of the illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe.
"We have not heard him calling for the lifting of the sanctions. We have been adversely affected by the sanctions, as they are creating an uneven field of play," he said.
Cde Chinamasa said Sadc should be there to protect weak states not to advance foreign agendas, saying some of the issues agreed on at the summit had been met but the issue of sanctions was still untouched, leaving Zanu-PF saddened by the deafening silence of the bloc's chairman.
However, Cde Chinamasa said the call for the lifting of sanctions should start with Tsvangirai since he was responsible for inviting his sponsors to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe in a bid to wrestle control of Government from President Mugabe.
Zanu-PF, he said, should not have remained mute over the issue of sanctions and could have demanded to have them removed before the elections.
He also called on Britain and its allies to stop funding the MDC, saying this was unlawful.
Cde Chinamasa, who is also the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, accused the MDC-T of using part of the funds from its handlers to corrupt election officials to tamper with results during the harmonised elections.
Cde Chinamasa, who stressed any attempt to corrupt officials from any quarters would not be tolerated in the run-off, urged the people to vote wisely during the run-off and guard jealously the gains of independence.
"They (electorate) should use their vote wisely, not to use it to place themselves under the rule of colonialism again but to defend the gains of the liberation struggle," he said.
Also at the Press conference were Zanu-PF media sub-committee members Cde Webster Shamu and Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2008 The Herald. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
Mr Chinamasa,when you talk,it is advisable that you unemotionally make a distinct separation between your views as a legislator and those aspects which you say in your capacity as minister. Indeed you are still a minister,though not an MP, but you,more often than not, mix aspects of your two offices. When people respond to your utterances, you then claim that they are attacking the government yet its not the case. You are a minister for the government of Zimbabwe and a losing MP for ZANU(PF).
As a minister you can speak, but as a legislator,please give room to those ZANU(PF) and MDC MPs who have been accepted by the people to represent people's views,meanwhile you are busy packing,to give way to the accepted.
Ushe madzoro mudikani,tomuonayi Saint Killians mtape
Its so dis-heartening to read comments such as those by jeffjedi and sudan. Instead of commenting on the real issues raised about sanction they choose to dwell on trivial things as cde and the difference between an mp and a minister. This is pathetic to say the least. What we are interested in is to discuss real issues that will help the people of zimbabwe to choose a true zimbabwean leadership. Chester Crocker, who in a foreign policy testimony to the US Senate in 2001, said "to separate the Zimbabwean people from Zanu-PF we are going to have to make their economy scream, and I hope you senators have the stomach for what you have to do". This lead to the passing of the ZDERA. Lets look at Mugabe's evils after we have 'cleaned our own houses' as well so that the leadership the zimbabweans now get is the best possible. They have suffered enough.
"Sanctions" are not a real issue. Provide proof of any sanctions other than travel bans put on ZANU-PF elite otherwise your claim is no more than hot air.
To give the readers the reality of Zimbabwe just look at the use of Cde Chinamasa NOTE the Comrade(Cde). Part of the Mugabe communist influence from North Korea when he attended terrorist training there. It explains all factors of why Mugabe failed, why Zimababwe is a failed state and why the people are subject to similar communist style dictatorship managment that failed Russia. The problem is with Zimbabwe is that Cde when out out of fashion in the 90's and that's when Mugabe went out of fashion. Why they carry on is beyond belief, they cant run Zimbabwe on hyper inflation and they, the ZANU PF cant stop the inflation until Mugabe is gone. Its time South africa realised it too needs to understand the economics involved. It too cant stop the collapse if they let Mugabe remain. Too bad so sad the Mugabe gravy train has run off the rails. Good riddance!