Huge political differences bog down SADC summit

By Tichaona Sibanda
18 August 2005

The effectiveness of the Southern African Development Community has further been diminished by the group’s failure to pursue a mediatory role in dealing with the political crisis in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabweans, under the failed leadership of Robert Mugabe, are now suffering the brunt of policies that are already spilling over into the entire SADC region.

Experts who attended the summit blame huge political and ideological differences as the reason for the stance taken by the leaders not to include Zimbabwe on their agenda.

Don Mafingenyi, our correspondent in Botswana, believes that unless the regional grouping can talk and act with greater cohesion it will continue to be viewed as a ‘talking shop’ club.

‘Nothing has changed, it’s still the old boys’ club that fails to act against a fellow member,’ said Mafingenyi.

He said the SADC summit missed an opportunity to act on the situation in Zimbabwe, preferring to sidestep the issue by downplaying the scale of the crisis.

The incoming SADC chairman, Botswana President Festus Mogae, told journalists on Wednesday Zimbabwe did not pose a problem to economic growth in the region.

He failed however to point out how the worsening situation in Zimbabwe could have dire consequences for the region.

This statement on Zimbabwe by Mogae irked Mafingenyi who pointed out that facts on the ground suggest an alarming array of policies and practices that are leading the country to a catastrophic future that will affect the whole region.