|
|
Zimbabwe: After AU Summit, Opposition Faces Tough Options
 |
 |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
The Nation (Nairobi)
3 July 2008
Posted to the web 3 July 2008
Kitsepile Nyathi
Nairobi
Tough choices await Zimbabwe's opposition in the coming few months after African Union leaders refused to condemn President Robert Mugabe's controversial re-election in favour of calls for a government of nationality unity.
Expectations were high that the AU summit that ended in Egypt on Tuesday would declare the controversial June 27 one candidate poll that secured the 84-year old leader's sixth consecutive term illegitimate.
This could have paved the way for the formation of a transitional government that would lead to a free and fair election in the shortest possible time.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which seized control of parliament from Mr Mugabe's ruling Zanu PF in the March election elections for the first time since independence has already made it clear that it would not accept anything short of a transitional government.
The stance is likely to alienate the MDC from its backers in Africa but will certainly find favour with Western powers that have taken a tough stance against Mr Mugabe, analysts said.
Zanu PF made overtures to the opposition soon after its leader's pyrrhic victory but the ruling party made it made it clear that the proposed dialogue would never be on equal terms.
"Others have suggested talks to form a government of unity between Mugabe and Tsvangirai. Mugabe says so himself," said Mr Methuseli Moyo, an analysts writing for a UK based Zimbabwean online publication.
"This is Mugabe's culture. He first brutalises his opponents, defeats them and then plays the magnanimous winner and calls them to talks.
"He did this with the late Vice President (and former PF Zapu leader) Joshua Nkomo, who he persecuted and decimated his supporters for six years and later "pardoned" them when they had no option but to join him.
"In case Tsvangirai and his party decide to unite with Mugabe, I feel bound to remind them of the dangers that await them in trying to achieve true and fair unity with Mugabe."
In 1987, Mr Mugabe's ruling Zanu PF and Dr Nkomo's PF Zapu signed a unity accord after post independence disturbances resulted in the death of more than 20,000 civilians.
The government deployed a crack North Korean trained army unit that allegedly targeted opposition supporters and PF Zapu leaders.
The run-up to the June 27 presidential election was characterised by massive state sponsored violence that forced the leading contender Mr Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC who had humbled Mr Mugabe in the first round to withdraw from the race.
Although it was at a lower scale, the violence drew parallels with the early 1980s disturbances and many feel that by joining Mr Mugabe in a government of national unity, the opposition would be repeating mistakes made by its predecessors.
"My own experience with Mugabe tells me the US, EU and Tsvangirai strategy of "no compromise" would be the best," Mr Moyo added.
"It is grim, painful, but fast and will deliver a free, just and democratic Zimbabwe in months.
"Talking to Mugabe will merely prolong the suffering of the people. Progress will only be made when he feels his succession strategy is safe or when he is cornered."
|
Some feel that Zimbabweans have lost everything they had in the last 10 years of economic meltdown and would not mind even if the economy collapsed totally, so that Mr Mugabe is pushed out of office.
it's shame that all the african presidents are like mugabe..they all understand him like brothers in arms..they all kill they people,they're all corrupts,etc..wonder wy nobody cares about the terrible situation in zimbabwe..wy everybody have to follow mugabe's decision?wy??... i'm from mozambique and it's a big shame what's going on over there!!!!!
Liar. You are not from Mozambique. You are a European a muzungu and a non-African. No African acts or talks as though there was never mbarabaTONYO.
Does not matter what place you are from, mugabe and his regime are thieves and killers!
West!!!! You do not have the guts to use your own name. You are a coward, muzungu. You hide behind general terms like " west". Are you English or French or What??? Believe it or not, His Excellency, the President of Great Zimbabwe, Robert Gabriel MUGABE has done a lot of good for Africans. For starters he got settlers unsettled, both physically amd pyschologically. Why can't you leave Africa alone? Even today English companies are doing business in and with Zimbabwe. Can you explain that? Remember now there are 'blood' diamonds but there were never 'apartheid' diamonds....!!!!???? You treat the... [Read Full Text]
Maya bhlaz! Ndimi marasika manje. Asi murikuguta neZANU? Isu vamwe tanzwa neznara. Ko madii kutipawo zvamunodya? If you were an ordinary Zimbabwean you would know that Mugabe has done a lot of good for us in the past but a lot of harm recently. What happened to old version of Mugabe? With all due respect, perhaps he should let the younger generation take over so he can relax and enjoy the rest of his days. Besides, what plans does he have right now to improve the livelihoods of the ordinary man, woman and child in Zimbabwe. Tanzwa nekutambura munyika yechipikirwa!
Maya, you are the one I can vote for.At least lets be franc to our selves.Mugabe's past can only be helpful if it can give us life now and tomorrow.Rather we have seen the contrary in house fighting and killing and that is his plan of action for the coming years.This is not uncommon with most of the African head of state, in their attempt to die in office they can only resort to killing and have no time to think about developing the country.If Mugabe did not do this before, sorry time out.
I im from none of the countries you mentioned and i take it "akapfunde1" is your real name!hahaha
British companies are still there because they are long established and they would lose billions of pounds pulling out straight away.The smart ones have reduced there stake and will continue to do so. Remember these companies are private companies and not government owned, you have money hungry business people in all countries and all races and it does not make them right or smart! If good people "let go Africa" and let dictators remain it would be a disaster of the greatest... [Read Full Text]
For how long should a leader be in power to bring about tangible changes that can last
Of what use is west to blame if africans are suffering at the hands of they'r fellow leaders, who keep blaming the west but fail to bring about african solutions.
What more is there that mugabe couldn't achieve in his 28 yr, or is it a way of saying there's no zimbabwean that can replace him for better?
I think the shelf life for mugabe is close to expiry date,but whats up for the current 5 yr term....?
""... the US, EU and Tsvangirai strategy of "no compromise" would be the best," Mr Moyo added."
We had in USA, treacherous vermin like Tsvangirai who sided with the enemy against our demands for independence from colonial Europeans. And once that independence is achieved, the people must put in place measures that ensure that the enemy does not regain a foothold. Our patriots did not shed their blood so as to have a few rotten elements undo the fruits of their sacrifices and send us back into bondage. So, what measures do we have in place? Many.
The people and... [Read Full Text]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2008 The Nation. 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. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make allAfrica.com your home page | RSS Feed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | Subscribe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
