Zuma urged to arrange early Zim elections

By Alex Bell
05 March 2010

South African President Jacob Zuma has been urged to organise early elections in Zimbabwe, because of the failure of the unity government to implement critical reforms in the country.

Zuma was greeted by an estimated 100 demonstrators outside the South African High Commission in London on Friday, who expressed their anger over the South African leader’s refusal to take a tough stance on Robert Mugabe. The group, waving banners saying ‘Zuma save Zimbabwe’, chanted “Shame on you, Zuma!” when the South African leader arrived at the High Commission. Zuma in turn gave the group a cheery wave as he entered the building.

The South African President has attracted criticism this week during his state visit to the UK, for campaigning for the lifting of recently extended European Union (EU) targeted sanctions that are in place on the Mugabe regime. Zuma tried to pressure British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to adopt the same attitude during a meeting on Wednesday where the Zimbabwe issue topped the agenda. But that pressure was resisted, with Brown declaring that the sanctions against Mugabe and his inner circle would remain in place until more progress was made by the unity government. The British Prime Minister said he also wanted to witness the results of commissions on human rights, press freedom and governance reforms, before the targeted measures are reconsidered.

“We applaud the efforts that President Zuma is making to bring stability and change to Zimbabwe,” Brown said at a joint press conference after the talks. “We however must be absolutely sure that progress is being made.”

During the press conference Zuma remained firm on his stance that the sanctions be lifted, saying the issue could be exploited politically.

“If the Zimbabwe issue is not moving forward, certainly some people could use sanctions as an excuse,” he said.

Campaigners at Friday’s demonstration in London accused Zuma of actively appeasing Mugabe, adding that Zuma, as the regional mediator in the Zimbabwe crisis, should be doing more to ensure fresh elections are called. Rose Benton, from the protest group the Zimbabwe Vigil which organised the demonstration, said: “The government of national unity isn’t going to work, Mugabe isn’t serious about making it work - he never has been. What we need is Zuma to do something.” Benton described the protest as a huge success, saying more than 100 people were involved by the end of the demonstration. She said the protest was indicative of how angry Zimbabweans are that Zuma has been so accommodating of Mugabe.

“He used to be so critical of Mugabe and there was hope that he would be tough with the regime, but instead he’s giving Mugabe a big present by calling for sanctions to be lifted,” Benton said.

The protesting group handed over a petition to the High Commission calling on Zuma to arrange early elections in Zimbabwe. The petition was signed by hundreds of people who have passed by the Saturday Vigil, a weekly demonstration outside the Zimbabwean Embassy in London. The petition was also accompanied by the following letter to President Zuma:

“We appeal to you to arrange early elections in Zimbabwe. We are aware that politicians in Zimbabwe don’t want new elections until they have had their fill at the trough but we believe that the situation can only worsen until there is a democratically elected government in place.”