Dumisani Muleya
22 August 2008
Johannesburg — ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe is in a tight spot on how to form a functioning new government after a smaller faction of the opposition he banked on for a coalition said it would not work with him.
Mugabe now faces the prospect of going it alone, something that would compound his legitimacy crisis and plunge the economy even deeper into the doldrums.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction led by Arthur Mutambara assured its restless MPs at a national council meeting on Wednesday that it would not join Mugabe's government. The party was facing a revolt from MPs after reports that it leadership was considering working with Mugabe.
The party deliberated extensively on claims that Mutambara had signed a "sell-out deal" to join Mugabe without main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mugabe will next week convene parliament amid protests by the MDC this will sabotage the already stalled power-sharing talks.
Tsvangirai yesterday told journalists in Nairobi, which he is visiting as part of his regional tour to press Mugabe to agree to share power, "If President Mugabe goes ahead to convene parliament, appoint a new cabinet, it means he is proceeding to violate the conditions of the memorandum of understanding which means he may have abandoned the basis for talks, but we don't know what his intentions are," he said.
Zanu (PF) and the MDC factions signed a memorandum of understanding on July 21 to provide a framework for the talks.
"A violation of the memorandum will have to be dealt with by the mediator," he said.
President Thabo Mbeki is the mediator.
Sources said although Tsvangirai's MPs would attend the swearing-in ceremony in Harare on Monday, they would boycott Mugabe's opening of parliament address on Tuesday.
The plan to convene parliament also came under attack yesterday when fringe opposition party the Zimbabwe People's Party, led by Justin Chiota, filed an urgent court application seeking a nullification of Mugabe's re-election and blocking the assembling and opening parliament on Tuesday.
Chiota's demand is contained in an urgent supreme court application . He recently secured a ruling which invalidated his exclusion from the presidential election in March. The nomination court in February rejected Chiota and United People's Party leader Daniel Shumba's applications to enter the race as these had been filed late.
However, a recent supreme court judgment said the nomination court's decision was unlawful and invalid.
On that basis, Chiota challenged Mugabe's re-election and demanded that if his application was successful, fresh presidential polls be held within 90 days.
Chiota said the swearing in of MPs and senators on Monday as well as the convening of parliament and constituting a new government should be stopped.
In the same application Chiota, a former security establishment officer, also demanded the talks should be aborted as they were being conducted on the basis of the outcome of an unlawful presidential election .
"I also submit that the settlement talks based on the results of the election impugned herein are equally an infringement upon my rights as already declared by this court, and the constitution of the government of the Republic of Zimbabwe based on such talks will be in itself an infringement on my rights aforesaid," he said.
A fortnight ago Chiota lost his legal bid to join the talks after the Pretoria High Court dismissed his urgent application saying it did not have the power to rule on a matter outside its territorial jurisdiction.
Shumba recently approached the Southern African Development Community Tribunal in Namibia seeking to have his party included in the talks.
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Prem you are always spot-on.It is definitely true that the days for Mugabe are numbered and I guess it is the people themselves that will forcefully effect that operation.Mugabe and his thugs are so over-confident that past brutal tactics used to coward the citizens still exists.They will be in for a rude shock pretty soon.
Prem, spot on again. All eyes now on the walking disaster mbeki and his nonsensical "quiet diplomacy" crap!! Cant see him recovering his credibility now..whatever he had left.
Lunatic..murderer..bloodsucker...stupid ...and on and on add nauseam. All these vulgar expletives do not add anything to the solution of the problems being faced by Gt Zimbabwe. All you do is shout insults. I am glad that even Tsvani would not pay much attention to you. By the way what do you see as a solution to the current impasse? RMG is not going away because he is a politician. Politicians do not do that ...not even in the USA and the UK where there are congressmen and MPs who have been in parliament for more than 40 years. Whats the way forward, baasi?
Because you are mesmerised Aka., you do not want a solution! Mugabe's tunes of white & West bashing keeps you in a state of slumber.
The solution is simple; so simple you do not want to believe it!
The lunatic gives back executive power, allows parliament to run democratically. This should lead to depoliticization of the Police and the Army, declaring judges independent, retiring all cronies in public interest, the set up of an agricultural development bank to boost agriculture to feed people, putting up an extensive programme to rehabilitate public infrastructures, gradually build up industry transforming local raw materials, a concurrent programme for the return and resettlement of the refugees.
One billion Euros are at the disposal of a properly constituted democratic government.
I hope this goes a long way to help you switch your allegiance from a bloodstained, bloodsucker criminal to whoever a democratic parliament chooses to lead. You know the answer already.
We encourage people to change mind for the better. Will you cross the line? Welcome, if you choose to. otherwise, you will be swept off your feet too by the evermounting voices for meaningful change.
Negotiators will never achieve anything positive when dealing with the likes of RGM. He is determind to keep on ruling at all cost. Maybe it is because of his great contribution in the liberation struggle. I was just checking his profile, he was really a great man,(THEN). All that greatness is now being eroded.
aka...in your hysterical haste to defend the thug mugabe you muddled up your argument. In the states no person can serve in office for more than two terms and once served he can never run for that office again..which is why the likes of clinton and guilliane(former mayor of new york) stepped down..EVEN though the american people wanted them to stay on. It was against the constitution to hang on. In Britain Thatcher stepped down and was replaced by major when her mps got fed up with her..major in turn was dumped by the electorate and the foolish blair took over..blair, having the common sense to see the dark clouds of economic gloom on the horizon stepped down and brown took over.. In all of the above not a single shot was fired..no lives lost, not a single person beaten for his political affilliations..Now contrast that with the RT Honorable Robert Mugabe's zanupf's election campaign....case closed!!! In light of that I think we are entitled to the odd name calling and insult throwing...it pales into nothing compared to the killing and raping etc of you beloved mugamboro!!
Akapfunde, just get rid of the creep - the lunatic, murderer, bloodsucker and stupid vampire Mugabe.
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What a rotten mess lunatic Mugabe is bent on creating? Controlling power at all costs even by keeping the country at random!
He is turning out from a hero to perpetuate himself not only as a murderer, bloodsucker and paranoiac, but also as the greatest hurdle for the economic emancipation of Zimbabweans.
These are the last signs of a dying ruthless dictator clinging despertely to power.
Stupid Oxford-educated Mutambara, mesmerised by the devil Mugabe, had to be rought down to reality by his MPs ready to cross the floor if ever he pactises with the monster.
Bleeding Zimbabweans have already started a second liberation war. This time to liberate their mind out of the hatred Mugabe planted therein over time. If the dictator refuses to leave, the majority will deal him as they would against a notorious criminal. mark it. The DAY is fast approaching.