Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai met British Junior Foreign Minister Mark Malloch-Brown in South Africa, on the sidelines of the inauguration of Jacob Zuma as President.
This is the second high level meeting between the two countries within weeks, after almost a decade of frosty relations. An ice-breaking trip a few weeks ago saw Finance Minister Tendai Biti travel to London where he met Malloch-Brown and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
Over the weekend the same courtesy was extended to Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, who had a separate meeting with Malloch-Brown in South Africa. The ZANU PF minister is one of many officials still under targeted travel and financial sanctions by mainly western countries.
Malloch-Brown is quoted as saying the talks were frank and fruitful with both sides pledging to maintain close dialogue. The state owned Herald newspaper went as far as suggesting the UK would send diplomats to Harare for more talks. This is still to be confirmed by the British government.
With the coalition government having clocked up 100 days in power Malloch-Brown used the meetings to emphasize the need for further reforms. This he said was necessary before 'the UK and the international community as a whole can engage more fully.
In the meantime, the UK remains fully committed to helping Zimbabwe with its most pressing humanitarian and essential needs.' Of concern are the continued detention of political prisoners, on-going farm invasions and the unilateral appointment of officials by Mugabe.
A South African Bloomberg news agency report meanwhile says Tsvangirai has blamed 'hardliners' in ZANU PF for delaying the resolution of outstanding issues in the unity government.
In a phone interview from Harare the Prime Minister said the party would meet to decide whether 'lines need to be drawn in the sand' to resolve these issues. He said the delaying tactics were disappointing, but the MDC had sufficient leverage to deal with them. 'Mugabe cannot govern without us, he can't act unilaterally,' Tsvangirai added.
Tsvangirai's optimism is in stark contrast to the frustration building within his own party. Insiders told Newsreel that although some senior officials were vying to get positions in the coalition government, a good number of ordinary supporters were unhappy at the clear lack of political power demonstrated by the MDC.
The party has helplessly watched the continued detention, jailing and harassment of senior party officials like Gandhi Mudzingwa, Chris Dhlamini and Chipinge East MP Mathias Mlambo. Chipinge South MP Mike Makuyana is awaiting sentence for similarly dubious charges.
.
Comments 1 to 2 of 2 Post a comment
More reforms needed!!??!! What reforms have taken place so far that we need "more" of?? Let me see, could it be the massive arrests of the media for trying to report on the abuse of the subjects? ....or the beatings and torture of those abducted by the Zanuobos......perhaps the taking over of ministries by uncle bob is what we need to see more of. Imaginary dollar vouchers...... Oh, I know, silly me.... more farm seizures!! (... this will add more to the starvation roles next year). No, Im afraid that what is needed is backbone. I would say more backbone, however, there seems to be so very little of it seen lately that I am worried that it doesnt exist. How can I ask for more of something so elusive that it seems to not exist at all. If you are all waiting for the Zanuobos to go away on their own, Im afraid that that, too, is your imagination gone wild.
Morgan is the first one to know that criminal Mugabe is the obstacle for the country to move forward. And Morgan knows that the GNU is the only way for him to avoid police brutality in his quest for political change! He is squeezed both ways!!
Only the generel elections would help Morgan to sideline the bloodstained rotten dictator!
Time is on your side Morgan! Play it shrewedly!!