Dumisani Muleya
29 October 2009
Johannesburg — DEMOCRATIC Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila, who is also Southern African Development Community (Sadc) chairman, was expected in Harare last night in a bid to rescue Zimbabwe's failing unity government.
Kabila's intervention highlights the gravity of the political crisis in Harare. While he is seen as an ally of President Robert Mugabe, his efforts will be closely watched by the international community.
Kabila was to have landed in Harare late last night -- shortly after United Nations special rapporteur on torture, Manfred Nowark.
Nowark was initially refused entry by President Robert Mugabe and his officials.
The latest political crisis was triggered by the withdrawal of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) from the coalition government. The situation was aggravated this week by Mugabe's plan to appoint acting ministers to replace absent MDC MPs.
The MDC has warned the move would be "unconstitutional".
"The announced intention by Zanu (PF) to appoint acting ministers through the office of the president is not only unfortunate, but it is as illegal as it is ill thought," the MDC said yesterday.
"What Zanu (PF) intends to do is not to appoint acting ministers, but to usurp the c onstitution of Zimbabwe by appointing their own ministers. This is not a Zanu (PF) government, but an inclusive government. If they want a Zanu (PF) government, they must win a free and fair election."
The MDC, which defeated Mugabe's Zanu (PF) last year, has called for new elections if Kabila fails to resolve the impasse.
Tsvangirai and the MDC blamed their withdrawal from the government on the re-arrest of party treasurer and deputy agriculture minister designate Roy Bennett.
The party insists Mugabe is also refusing to fully implement the Global Political Agreement and resolve a series of issues agreed under the accord which was signed last year. Kabila is expected to hold talks with Mugabe after meeting Tsvangirai in Kinshasa last week.
Kabila will be joined in Zimbabwe today by a Sadc ministerial fact-finding mission. The group is to meet Tsvangirai, Mugabe and party representatives today .
The Sadc team has been drawn from states represented on the regional grouping's organ on politics, defence and security -- Mozambique, Zambia and Swaziland.
Sadc organ on politics, defence and security chairman, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, dispatched the ministerial team after meeting Tsvangirai and consulting with regional leaders last week.
Tsvangirai also met President Jacob Zuma and Angolan leader Eduardo Dos Santos last week.
Meanwhile, an MDC property in Harare was raided by police last week, and a party employee Pascal Gwezere was said to have been abducted by state agents on Tuesday.
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