Mbeki flies to Harare

By Tererai Karimakwenda
17 January, 2008

The Southern African Development Community’s initiative to resolve the Zimbabwe crisis, believed to be at a deadlock over key electoral issues, went into high gear as mediator Thabo Mbeki arrived in Harare on Thursday. The South African President met separately with Robert Mugabe and leaders of the two MDC factions, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara. Reports said Mugabe returned home from his holiday on Sunday allegedly earlier than planned, after Mbeki requested this crucial meeting.

The opposition have said that it is Mugabe’s refusal to implement changes agreed to at the talks that is delaying progress. They claim that Mbeki convinced them to vote for Constitutional amendment 18 to harmonise elections and give Mugabe power to appoint a successor through parliament, as a gesture of good will. They say they had an assurance that Mugabe would adopt a new constitution and other legislative changes before the elections.

It is not clear whether Mbeki intends to pressure Mugabe to enact what he promised, or if a compromise has been reached. On Wednesday Mbeki’s deputy foreign minister Aziz Pahad, told the media in Pretoria that "some real movement" had taken place in resolving outstanding issues between ZANU-PF and the MDC. He said: "What is now important is the timing – can the elections be held in March [and] whether the agreed changes to the constitution should become effective before any elections are held."

Political commentator Dr. John Makumbe said he doubts that the South African President can influence Mugabe. He said it is naïve for Mbeki and the MDC to think that Mugabe would agree to changes that could remove him from office. “A dictator normally will not agree to any democratic changes that can make him lose an election,” said Makumbe.

The outspoken commentator blasted the MDC saying that after 27 years of deception there was no reason to believe Mugabe would comply with the outcome of the talks. Makumbe said: “The MDC became infected and affected by power the way ZANU-PF is. They are salivating just to get their foot in the door, and the result is this naivety.”

The MDC announced Wednesday that they would conduct street protests in Harare next week to demand a new constitution and free and fair elections. MDC secretary general Tendai Biti dubbed the protests the "freedom march".

Observers say that this must indicate that the MDC has seen little real progress at the talks.