SW Radio Africa
(London)
Violet Gonda
8 October 2008
Negotiators were back to the drawing board Wednesday to try and thrash out agreements over the allocation of cabinet posts. But, as has become the norm, they resolved nothing. MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said ZANU PF is still resisting the issue of sharing the ministries and governors.
Chamisa said: "If we were centimeters apart we are now meters apart. The zone of difference seems to be growing by the day. In fact ZANU PF's perspective is quite different from us. We are worlds apart. We don't think that they are genuine in this deal and not interested and they want to play games with the people of Zimbabwe."
Chamisa said the MDC is referring the matter to SADC and the African Union. But many analysts believe the only way forward is for the MDC to pull out of the controversial and dishonest talks with ZANU PF.
With Zimbabweans desperate for a solution many questions are beginning to be raised as to why the MDC continues to wait for ZANU PF, and does not flex their muscles.
On Wednesday MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai had called for a press briefing on the stalled negotiations at his house in Harare, but the conference was cancelled last minute because ZANU PF called for yet another round of negotiations.
This is the second time in recent days that the MDC leader has cancelled a report-back session, leaving some analysts to believe the MDC are just being played with by ZANU PF, which quickly resumes discussions when it appears the MDC is pulling out.
Meanwhile ZANU PF officials are criticising the MDC for "putting the power-sharing talks at risk by speaking publicly about the negotiations." But Zanu PF officials such as Patrick Chinamasa and Nicholas Goche have issued statements in the state media on the status of the talks and it was Robert Mugabe who said, on his return from a UN summit in New York: "We discussed the ministries the day before I left. There were four left which we referred to our negotiators to discuss."
When asked about the criticism from ZANU PF, the MDC spokesperson said if there is nothing to hide, ZANU PF would not be worried about the statements being made to the public.
Journalist Tanonoka Hwande says there is "absolutely nothing" in the power sharing agreement that the MDC should have signed: "It's all ZANU PF language, it's all ZANU PF intentions and it's all the things that ZANU PF has been doing during the last 28 years."
He went on to ask: "So what I would like to know from Tendai Biti and Mr. Tsvangirai and everyone else is what was in that document that the MDC felt was necessary to put their signatures on?"
Zimbabwe is at a standstill and some people are increasingly critical of the MDC for what they are saying is its inability to see opportunities and to capitalise on them.
Another observer, speaking on condition of anonymity said: 'In Zimbabwe, politics is the art of postponing decisions until they are no longer relevant."
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It appears that the MDC has a momentous task of picking up the threads of destruction to Zimbabwe that Mugabe and Zanu-pf have caused. Up to now, the SADC have been very surprising to me as to how they can sit back and allow Mugabe to crap all over the people. Could it be perhaps these African leaders are glad to see Zimbabwe hit the dust? Jealousy perhaps? Or are they being indifferent because they too have skeletons in their closets. How many times do they expect Mr Tsvangirai to keep going to them for their help to straighten out… [Read Full Text]
The only solution to a new start in Zimbabwe is to get rid of the lunatic. MDC should rather work out a way to dislodge the illzgitimate dictator. Tsvangirai should not repeat his earlier mistake calling the mass to tackle the murderer without prior preparations, not only in Zimbabwe but also in the SADC region.
Mugabe and cronies must be choked off. Support must be canvassed in mainly SA for trade unions and civil society groups to paralyse all vital links that keep Mugabe regime breathing. Mandela, Tutu and the ANC must be canvassed to lend their voice.
The priority… [Read Full Text]