Time running out for Mbeki as Mugabe continues to attack opposition

By Tererai Karimakwenda
23 April, 2007

All eyes are on South Africa’s president Thabo Mbeki as the recently appointed regional mediator on the Zimbabwe crisis. His mission is to find some solution to a political and economic crisis that seems to hinge on the response of one man, Robert Mugabe. But with less than a year to go before joint presidential and parliamentary elections due in 2008, the aged ZANU-PF leader has shown no sign that he wants to play fair. In fact he has intensified a violent campaign against the Movement for Democratic Change and civic groups that are lobbying for change, before it is possible to hold free and fair elections. Mbeki has so far done nothing that signals progress towards reigning in the stubborn Mugabe.

Experts in the region have already forecast doom for Mbeki’s mission. His own brother, analyst Moeletsi Mbeki, is said the South African government had no incentive to do anything serious about Zimbabwe because those in power were not affected by it. He said these elites only cared about wealth and the millions of Zimbabwean refugees crossing over into South Africa affected only the poor with whom they compete for jobs. Even Mbeki’s own people are beginning to offer disclaimers. This week his Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is reported to have warned that South Africa could not be expected to "do any magic" with Zimbabwe. And Dlamini-Zuma’s deputy, Aziz Pahad, said mediation efforts were only at the "pre-dialogue" stage.

Meanwhile in Zimbabwe, the opposition and civic groups are demanding changes before any elections are held. The MDC has made it clear they will not participate while violence continues against its officials and supporters. And the National Constitutional Assembly has insisted there will be no new elections without a new democratic constitution. The group released a statement this week which said in part: “It is only with a new constitution that Zimbabweans can enjoy full freedom and can be able to participate in free and fair elections.”

Unfortunately a new constitution only guarantees freedom if the government runs the country according to the constitution.