The Herald (Harare) Published by the government of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: Time to Engage Tsvangirai's Principals

opinion

Harare — IT is one of the ironies of our time that people who are being hounded out of office on account of their ruinous domestic and foreign policies continue masquerading as bona fide international leaders with the moral high ground to lecture Zimbabwe on its internal politics.

In the United States, George W. Bush's regime is on its way out, clothed in shame, trailed by blood and reeking economic ruin with Bush holding the ignominy of being the most unpopular president in US history.

His ratings are far lower than Richard Nixon's at the time of his resignation over the Watergate scandal in 1974.

In Britain, the Labour Party faces the exit at the next polls with Gordon Brown's ratings plummeting faster than those of his predecessor, Tony Blair, who was forced into early retirement.

And these are the people who pretend they have the moral high ground to lecture Zimbabwe when no one in their own countries listens to them anymore.

Over the weekend, one of Bush's foot soldiers -- Jendayi Frazer -- was in South Africa, apparently on a last lap of shame, claiming she was acquainting regional leaders with the "latest US stance on Zimbabwe", saying Washington "was withdrawing support" for the inclusive Government. Frazer's statements were both comical and tragic.

Comical in the sense that not only does Zimbabwe not need US blessings to form a Government, but Frazer was not announcing anything new.

It's not a secret that the US wants regime change in Zimbabwe, which is why it imposed its illegal economic sanctions in addition to sponsoring opposition and quasi-opposition groups here.

From the time the broad-based agreement was signed on September 15, the US never made its opposition to the agreement a secret and has, in fact, kept MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai on a leash to prevent him from setting foot at Munhumutapa Building.

As such, Frazer's statement was akin to announcing sunrise on a dry Savannah day.

The statement was tragic in the sense that it only served to expose the hand behind Tsvangirai's flip-flops.

It is important to note that the US would never have publicly made such a statement unless they knew that Tsvangirai would echo it to give Frazer's voice a semblance of legitimacy.

This is the real tragedy we face, that at a time MDC-T has signed an agreement with Zanu-PF, part of which abhors foreign interference in our domestic affairs, Tsvangirai is happy to be used by the discredited Western regimes.

Right now, he remains holed up in Botswana dancing to the tune of outsiders, yet he was invited, several days ago, to come for swearing-in as premier.

Already many in the opposition have lost patience with him. For instance, yesterday we carried statements by former MDC spokesman Gabriel Chaibva likening Tsvangirai to Savimbi, with Independent House of Assembly Member for Tsholotsho North Professor Jonathan Moyo blasting him for puppetry.

We are sure many other Zimbabweans feel the same way.

We, too, believe even if Tsvangirai were to join Government, he would be difficult to work with as long as he dances to the tune of outsiders.

To this end, we believe the nation, Government and region have been patient enough, it's high time we said enough is enough.

It may be worthwhile to engage Tsvangirai's principals directly, for the man will clearly never do anything without their blessing.


Copyright © 2008 The Herald. 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.

AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 130 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.

Comments 1 to 5 of 16 Post a comment

  • Robert Iva
    Dec 24 2008, 04:32

    This item doesn't serve any real purpose, other than as a distraction to the real problem of Zimbabwe's illegal ZANU/PF government.

    Imperfect though the Bush regime may be, in my opinion, the administration's spokesperson is sadly, on this occasion, correct regarding the current approach to the situation in Zimbabwe i.e. that a government of "national unity" with ZANU /PF and MDC will never be workable and should be abandoned.

    This has been amply demonstrated since the signing of the power sharing agreement in September by the regime's continuing human right abuse, failure to observe the rule of law, abduction and extended detention without access to a lawyer of members of the oppostion and civil right movements. It is simply not acting in good faith and never will.

    The ANC and SADC, on the other hand, have criminally failed the people of Zimbabwe, in their attempts to prop up and perpetuate the evil that is ZANU/PF. Sadly, the ANC's approach to Mugabe make it universally clear that when it's politically expedient the ANC, will look the other way. Perhaps the unwritten liberation movement code of "comradeship" supercedes everything that the ANC originally stood for in the Freedom Charter and the South African Constitution.

    The incorrect reference to "sanctions" aginst Zimbabwe are an irritation. There are no UNIVERSAL sanctions imposed on the state of Zimbabwe. There are, however, TARGETED embargoes imposed by the Western powers on the ZANU/PF innner circle of politburo members and selected civil servants.

  • sisingwenya
    Dec 24 2008, 19:31

    Good evening Excellency. Murambe kuenda ku South Africa. Kana vachida kuita that so called extra ordinary summit, let them come to Botswana. Regai Mugabe ne Zanu vadade mukati menyika, vachakuparai sendarama. Musambotya kana chinhu panyika pano. Only fear God. Mwana Komana Jesu Kristu tinaye President Tsvangirai. Vachinji hapana chatinatyo this Xmas, I believe Mwari vanoda kuti titaure Navo this Christmas. Vana Baba nana Mai wedzerai minamato. Mugabe ne Zanu will be eating and dining, but ordinary people suffering with nothing on their tables. Nzara yatinayo its a blessing to us, nekuti Demon harigare pane nzara. Siyayi ma Demon avabvumburudze ivo vanozviti havashaye chinhu. Nenzara yedu ngatiwedzerei minamato. Afterall, 2008 is the last Christmas yenzara. Ndineurombo kwazvo nekuti Mwari vakataura vakati "Handisiye nyika, nyika ino, haisati yaziva". Mugabe ne Zanu vari busy kupwanya hari dzaBaba, kutambudza kacheche. That kacheche I bet will be President of his generation. Kugarisa kacheche munesikidzi. Manje ticharamba tichinamata kusvikira narini. Nothing is impossible with our Father. God will not fail us. I command release of Jestina Mukoko and all other abductees in Jesus Name. I crush out those crimes against them in Jesus Name. If God is for us, no one can be against us, even Mugabe and zanu. I send the Holy Ghost Fire on these murderers, thieves, abductors, Mugabe and his supporters in Jesus Name. Nezita raJesu ndinovasunungura mumaketani a Satan ana Jestina Mukoko nevamwe vese vakasungirwa MDC vachipomherwa mhosva dzenema. Ndisevendzesei Baba pama basa enu. Ndirimuranda wenu Ishe. Handirambe kutumwa. Ishe ndinoda rugare muZimbabwe. Kana iyo Monday kuchaita appear Jestina Mukoko and the rest muma courts, I pray Oh! God that you take charge. Vange vakavigwa Baba kusina anoziva pavari, asi Ishe tachema kwamuri mukatinzva, tavaona Baba, tinotenda kuti muchavasanganisa nehama dzavo. I ask you Lord to cover them with the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ where the devil will not harm them. I declare in Jesus Name that every weapon formed against them will not prosper Baba. Handisi mutsvene pamberi penu asi ndinoshumira kuita mutsvene uyezve mundishandise Baba pabasa renu, mundivhenekere ndigone kupupura chokwadi. I speak life, good health and peace in Zimbabwe in Jesus Name. Tatenda Ishe. Baba Zita renu, Zita renu ngarikudzwe, ipo panyika, panyika neku denga, ngaribatwe neutsvene, ZITA RENU NGARIKUDZWE. Amen

  • jallohlaw
    Dec 24 2008, 07:16

    THE ITEM DOES SERVE A REAL PURPOSE, Bush apologist.

    Frazier is the spit of Condi neo-con bush tail: she has no business interefering in the internal affairs of a sovereign African state: Africa for the Africans, rhodie.

    Has anyone lectured the US on the immense human suffering of millions times millions times millions of Americans dropped on them by the moribund administration that the intellectual dwarf Frazier re-presents?

    Or, for that matter, the financial suffering that the US has unleashed on the world because of its irresponsibly sponsorship of a CASINO called "Wall Street."

    By the way, the DOCTRINE OF SELF-DETERMINATION still rocks, MA FRAZIER.

    CHEERS FROM THE CITY OF AFRICAN SELF-DETERMINATION AND AUTHENTIC SELF-ASSERTION OF AFRICAN DIGNITY, even in poverty induced by THE REACTION.

  • CP
    Dec 24 2008, 07:31

    Nonsense!!! What 'African self determination'? Do people count differently in Africa? The few people who were allowed to vote in the last election voted against Mugabe. Had the diaspora been allowed to vote, the margin would have even been wider. Where in then is the 'Self determination' that you talk of when it comes to Zimbabwe? Does 'African self determination' mean authoritarianism? Real 'African self determination' has said Mugabe must go. Anything else that you have said is cheap propaganda by this regime which has raped our country and devastated our people...

  • hondoyeminda02
    Dec 24 2008, 08:29

    Don't mix up things, Sir. Every people and country as a matter of fact needs self-determination. A democrat as you are you should know this better. I recommend you to read UN declarations and conventions on this. This is why America is about the American dream and values and they have gone to war about this - I refer you to their unjustified escapades in Iraqi and Afghanstan where they used this to rally public support and opinion.

    When we analyse the Zimbabwe situation we need to become sober a bit. We lose the point in anger many times. Sorry, I have been interrupted will continue later.

See All Comments