Published by the government of Zimbabwe
24 November 2008
Harare — FORMER UN secretary-general Kofi Annan and his group of "Elders", who claimed they were barred from visiting Zimbabwe, yesterday met reclusive Botswana president, Seretse Khama Ian Khama in South Africa to discuss Zimbabwe.
"Elders" spokeswoman Katy Cronin yesterday told AFP that the "Elders" were discussing Zimbabwe with the Botswana president in Johannesburg.
"The leaders will be discussing a number of issues regarding the Zimbabwe situation," she said.
Ms Cronin could, however, not be drawn into revealing details of the discussions.
The meeting raised eyebrows given that the Botswana leader has boycotted all Sadc forums convened to facilitate talks between Zimba-bwe's parliamentary parties.
This prompted observers to question Khama's readiness to discuss Zimbabwe outside Sadc forums, more so with people linked to London or Washington, outposts of regime change that have not made their contempt of Zimbabwe a secret.
"The Elders have a right to associate with anyone anywhere and discuss any subject under the sun, but Zimbabwe is a sovereign country, they do not have a right to discuss how the country should run its affairs," said one African envoy speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Botswana leader recently caused a diplomatic furore after calling for fresh elections in Zimbabwe amid reports that his country was hosting MDC-T militias under the stewardship of British military trainers.
Sadc has since endorsed an investigation of the militias.
The "Elders" group; made up of Annan, former US president Jimmy Carter and Ms Graca Machel, wife of former South African president Mr Nelson Mandela; had earlier met MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, who was in Johannesburg after his sojourn to Europe last week.
Ms Cronin, again, refused to divulge details of the "Tsvangirai/Elders" meeting.
Foreign Affairs Minister Cde Simbarashe
Mumbengegwi has since rapped Annan for misrepresenting the Government's position by claiming that his group had been barred from visiting when the Government had postponed the proposed visit because the group had not made prior consultations on the "timing and programme" of the visit.
Cde Mumbengegwi told The Sunday Mail that it would have been difficult for the "Elders" to carry out a meaningful assessment of Zimbabwe's humanitarian needs given that Government had already conducted a thorough humanitarian audit together with the United Nations World Food Programme and the local United Nations Country Team.
The assessment, which culminated in the formulation of a Consolidated Appeal, details areas of the country that require the humanitarian community's immediate attention.
It also takes into account Government's resource mobilisation level and identifies the gap that the humanitarian community needs to fill.
The Government and the WFP last week signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the supply and distribution of 350 000 tonnes of food assistance.
Efforts to get comment from the Government or Embassy of Botswana were fruitless last night.
AFP-Herald Reporter
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I was listening to the BBC Network this morning when I heard some people have started blaming Morgan for his stubborness to cooperate with Mugabe.I want the people of Zimbabwe to realise that Morgan should not be castigated for being too selfish or oblivious to their sufferings.Mugabe and his cohort should not be trusted.You can see from the simple fact that they altered certain sections of the Agreement is a manifestation that they are only signing because they are pushed.Morgan has seen this and he his taking his time not to get into that trap because if he gets it wrong and ZANU-PF maintain their usual grip then you will go back to square one.Be patient.You have suffered for too long but not any longer from now.Mugabe and ZANU-PF are going trust me.It is just a matter of short time.
Morgan is certainly to blame because people voted for him to change things but he is refusing to do so - he withdrew from the runoff and denied people the chance to vote Mugabe out, claiming he was doing this for the people's welfare. Now he has a chance to work for the people's welfare but then he refuses advice from SADC and the Elders to get on with the job of changing things from inside the government. He now wants a fresh election when there is little chance of that being free and fair. So what exactly does this man stand for - the welfare of the people or just plain power? Certainly not the interests of the ordinary people.
If Morgan had run the second election or if he signed the agreement without a balanced sharing of power, the MDC would be history by now. Just as Nkomo and Zapu were, back in the day. This previously successful strategy of Cde Mugabe's is not working this time - due only to the will and backbone of the brave men and women of the MDC, who must not cave into the immense pressures on them by short-sighted SADC members for a 'quick fix', regardless of the horrific woes of our country. The only leverage there is for change lies within an external economic rescue plan, which will require evidence of a democratic process honouring the MDC win last March being upheld, before any donor assistance arrives. The cynical arguments implying that the Elders, Carter in particular, have some kind of political regime-change plot up their sleeve bear no weight as even South Africa sees the risk of parting with substantial amounts of aid money within this climate of top-down oppression. At the end of the day, I wonder if the ordinary Zimbabwean cares who sent the food they need to prevent their children from starving or the medicines they need to stop them from dying needlessly before their eyes. Humanitarian assistance is a-political and for the writer of the article to suggest that it should not be accepted by Zimbabwe in this terrible hour of need is beyond comprehension. In fact Mugabe should not feel that he has the right to decide on such issues a the Elders visit at all, as he is not the legitimate leader of the nation. And if this toxic regime continues to prevent the people from receiving help they should all be tried for genocide, regardless of safeguards already agreed upon.
Surely you can not be that stupid. Morgan is trying to do the best he can with the limited resources he has with regard to power in ZIM. If Mugabe and regime stepped aside today and let Morgan and party control, Zim, this time next year would be in much better shape. The world would step in and Zim would move forward and i think you would find very few starving because it will be a totally new outlook for the country!
If you have a national football team captian and players that keep loosing because they hate the coach and administration, do you sack your finest players or do you sack the coach and administration !! The later if you ever want to win and this goes along the same lines with Mugabage and regime! Sack them and hang them!
I am quite sure this time Zanu PF will be serious as current events here in Zimbabwe will not be tenable through arrogance and self serving stunts. I am sure it is the last chance that Mugabe has to ensure a smooth transfer of our liberties to self-determine and rebuild this country. This kind of ill-advised jamboree of blaming everyone who opposes selfish political stunts is pulling this country to uncharted waters ever known to humankind. Time is nigh to stop the rot
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