The United States no longer supports the September 15 power-sharing agreement between Zimbabwe's government, led by Robert Mugabe, and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, the State Department's top envoy to Africa said, adding that Mugabe is incapable of sharing power.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer spoke in South Africa December 21 after consulting with regional leaders about Zimbabwe's continued economic and political chaos and the country's cholera epidemic, which has now claimed more than 1,120 lives.
Speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Frazer said: "We have lost confidence in the power-sharing deal being a success with Mugabe in power. He has lost touch with reality."
The agreement, brokered by former South African president Thabo Mbeki, was supposed to result in a coalition government between Mugabe and the MDC, with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai serving as prime minister. However, talks broke down over the government's refusal to grant the political opposition control over key ministries. (See "'Well Past Time' for Zimbabwe's Mugabe to Leave, Rice Says.")
On March 29, Zimbabwe held presidential and parliamentary elections. Despite violence, intimidation and a media environment that heavily favored Mugabe's ruling party, the MDC gained a majority in the country's parliament and Tsvangirai won more presidential votes than Mugabe or third-party challenger Simba Makoni.
However, according to official election results, Tsvangirai failed to receive more than 50 percent of the vote and a presidential runoff election was scheduled for June 27. In the weeks leading up to the runoff vote, a sustained campaign of violence and intimidation directed against the MDC prompted Tsvangirai to withdraw from the contest out of concern for the lives of his supporters. Mugabe then claimed victory in a vote widely condemned by the international community.
Frazer, based on her discussions in the region, said that Mugabe is "completely discredited" and southern African leaders are discussing how to "facilitate a return to democracy without creating a backlash like a military coup or some sort of civil war."
The United States intends to maintain its economic sanctions against Mugabe and other key members and associates of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) as long as Mugabe remains in power, she said.
"We were prepared to use American influence to negotiate with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to clear the $1.2 billion Zimbabwe debt, but now we are no longer prepared to do that," Frazer told AFP.
She added that the longer Mugabe maintains his grip, "the better the chances of him taking a seat next to Charles Taylor in The Hague," referring to the former Liberian president's trial at the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes.
SECRETARY RICE WEIGHS IN
In Washington, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice continued U.S. calls for international pressure on Mugabe. Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press December 21, she said Zimbabwe's dire circumstances have prompted African states such as Botswana and Kenya to urge Mugabe to relinquish power.
"You've got a cholera epidemic there. You have humanitarian disaster in terms of food. You have the goons of the Mugabe regime going around and ... detaining people and ... frightening people, terrorizing people," Rice said. "The international community, in that circumstance, needs to act."
On December 19, Mugabe told reporters he was refusing to step down, saying, "Zimbabwe is mine."
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said December 19 that Mugabe's statement "sums up in a concise way what is at the root of Zimbabwe's problems," by showing Mugabe "thinks that the state of Zimbabwe and the people of Zimbabwe are there only to serve his interests."
"It should be the other way around. Those who govern should govern in the interest of the governed. The governed should be able to determine who governs them and in what manner," McCormack said.
Zimbabwe's people have been unable to freely express their views at the ballot box, McCormack said, recalling the country's June 27 sham presidential runoff, in which Mugabe ran unopposed.
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It's not surprising to expect African purists would question the right of the US to intervene in the Zimbabwe situation. those very purists who hide behind empty slogans to praise a bloodstained murderer in the nage of "mother Africa"!
Zimbabwe is already a failed state, not so far from Somalia. When thousands of its people are dying of cholera and Mugabe still insist from the rooftop of his Chinese-built palace that there is no more cholera - he should be treated as a dangerous criminal! Accusing the West for all the miseries in Zimbabwe, Mugabe must be dragged before an international court for failing to recognize his failure to offer basic protection to Zimbos. The US is right to interfere where a murderous leader continues to butcher his people. Tanzania did against Idi Amin thus liberating Ugandans; India did it with Pakistan, giving birth to Bangladesh, Nigeria & UK did it with Sierra Leone; Nigeria did it with Liberia against Doe & others!
Go away you bloodstained murderer before the mob catches you for the popular judgement!
Once again, sir murungu, you are exposing your self-serving monotonous agenda, namely, your singing, ad nauseam, the same song over and over in the hope the natives will believe you. We are not that stupid. You clearly do not know Zimbabweans bar one or so individuals you spoil at the coffee bar. Now you are using your collection of germs, bugs and disease micro-organisms which we all know you keep in well guarded laboratories. Now we know what the USA, UK and your evilself meant when you all kept on warning SADC that unless ZANU is removed from power the whole of the region would suffer. You have unleashed diseases. Its war.
There was really nothing to negotiate. Mugabe and his cohorts know they lost the elections that's why they are not sincere about negotiating. Instrangent losers do not negotiate because they have been humiliated at the polls; they have to be pushed out. It will happen, it is just a matter of time.
The Zimbabwean people have already decided last September to reject Mugabe. How many times do they have say it for Mugabe and his cohort to get the message ?
Because UK, unlike US, is directly too involved in the conflict with Mugabe, they cannot resolve the situation. But US can and should help.
AKA47, Jallohlaw & their evil cohorts have failed consciences for not rising up against a bloodstained murderer that Mugabe has become.
I am as much African as any of them and I claim the right to come to the defense of other innocent Africans who fall victims of dictators.
I feel terribly ashamed with the evil thinking of AKA47 and cohorts. Stop treating other Africans who want to contribute to exert maximum pressure against bloodstained dictators as sold outs! This empty slogan does not work anymore.
We will be ready even to defend you evil guys should you just fall victims of Mugabe. And that will happen sooner. You are already exposed to cholera for no fault of yours!
Conté of Guinea has finally gone! People there are celebrating his disappearance in the hope a new dawn emerges. Mugabe is next!! However, even hell's doors will be closed to this shameless evil dictator!
Akapfunde I almost respect your postings but as a Zanu PF cadre yourself, would you kindly tell me what clean water projects were implemented by Zanu PF government since independents? How many water plants were inaugurated during Mugabes 28 years in power which would near the cost of the Zanu PF building? We had a program of water and sanitation sponsored by the Government of Norway how many boreholes and toilets were constructed? Aid organizations like NORAD, SIDA, Save the Children UK, etc tried their best but are you aware of the politicization of their efforts by Zanu PF. Right away farms were taken over by Zimbabweans, I wont say by Zanu PF cadres but how many of those were sent for training in farming and marketing of produce? The problem with us as Zimbabweans kuchema chete takagara ne kuswerera kutuka vamwe. To ask Mugabe right away what he would want to achieve in the next 28 years he will tell you about sanctions how other people want to kill him. He clearly has no clue as to what he wants to achieve as a president. He is so used to unfounded stories which even leave his staunchest supporter confused and prone to violence towards own fellow countrymen especially vana mbuya ne vana become victims.
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