Zimbabwe Crisis Reports Issue 22
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ZIMBABWE CRISIS REPORTS Issue 22 FEBRUARY 2008 Fresh insights into the Zimbabwean situation MDC’S POSITION SHORT ON CLARITY As the opposition agonises over tactics, the Zimbabwean president pre-empts any compromise by setting an election date. By Marvelous Chigora in Harare The Zimbabwean opposition seems to have been caught off balance by the announcement that joint presidential and parliamentary elections will go ahead on March 29. When President Robert Mugabe announced the poll date on January 25, he demolished all hope that the election might be delayed until a new Credit: Lazele constitution was agreed. Police bar MDC supporters from marching through Harare in support of a new constitution. Picture taken January 23. The postponement was a key demand that the opposition had been pressing The decision came as the divided to devote its energies to organising for in the negotiating process opposition Movement for Democratic mass action to push for a new mediated by the South African Change. MDC, already appeared to constitution. It announced a Development Community, SADC, be struggling to find a clear “freedom march” through the streets aimed at ending the country’s political strategy. of Harare to press for a constitution and economic crisis. The mediation that would guarantee free and fair effort is being led by South African Shortly before the election date was elections, and for a postponement of president Thabo Mbeki. announced, the party had decided the election. NEWS IN BRIEF On January 25, President Robert better chance of defeating Mugabe mediating in talks between ZANU-PF Mugabe announced that joint in the presidential vote and the and the opposition, to be more presidential and parliamentary ruling ZANU-PF in the parliamentary forceful in pressing Mugabe to accept elections would go ahead on March poll. compromise. 29. The decision destroyed all hope that the authorities might accede to Zimbabwe’s electoral commission Meanwhile, Mbeki sent his chief the opposition’s demand for a said voters would be given four negotiator Sydney Mufamadi to postponement to allow time for a separate ballot papers to elect a Zimbabwe in what the London-based new constitution to be introduced. president, members of the two SW Radio Africa called “last-ditch houses of parliament, and local attempts to rescue the stalled talks”. In response to the move, the councillors. The papers will be The radio said that in the face of the two factions of the opposition printed in different colours to make deadlocked negotiating process, Movement for Democratic Change them clearly identifiable. Mbeki was close to going public and began talking to each other about telling the Southern African coordinating their response. The The leader of the main MDC Development Community, on whose two factions are said to be faction, Morgan Tsvangirai, went to behalf he is leading the mediation considering fielding a single South Africa to ask that country’s effort, which of the sides was candidate list in hope of standing a president Thabo Mbeki, who is obstructing process. FEBRUARY 2008 1 THE INSTITUTE FOR WAR AND PEACE REPORTING Police refused permission for the constitution, has accused the MDC of constitution, and calling for mass march, and waded in with riot gear to opportunism, arguing that the protests and possibly boycotting the break it up when supporters document it had drafted had been election altogether. According to these assembled on January 23. Morgan seen only by the two MDC leaders, the critics, the MDC’s position is neither Tsvangirai, who leads the bigger of two SADC negotiators and a few others – focused nor transparent. MDC factions, was detained briefly to but not by members of the public who stop him taking part, but he and others were being asked to go on marches. “The reason the MDC wants the were able to attend a large rally in a elections postponed, we are told, is Harare stadium later the same day. because they want the transitional “How can they ask people constitution to take root. In other words The MDC decided to resort to mass to press for a [constitution] this is not about a referendum to give mobilisation because it felt the ruling that they have not seen? the people of Zimbabwe a chance to ZANU-PF was backtracking on craft their constitution. It is all about agreements reached during the This shows they are not swapping horses to State House,” said SADC-brokered talks. serious” - Lovemore a recent editorial in the Zimbabwe Madhuku. Independent. Since this new approach came only two months before what was already “How can a make-or-break document anticipated as a likely poll date, some about the future of Zimbabwe be observers asked why the MDC had In any case, he said, the MDC had drawn in secrecy and we are waited so long before identifying this undercut its own position by tactically expected to merely endorse it?” as their strategy. aligning itself with ZANU-PF on some issues, notably when its members of A journalist who writes for an After Mugabe’s announcement, parliaments supported a controversial international media outlet added that everything changed again. The MDC constitutional amendment in the MDC should tell people what it said it would make a formal decision September, and subsequent changes really stands for and focus on those later this week on whether to take part to repressive security legislation. issues. As the journalist, who did not in the ballot or stage a boycott. Earlier want to be named, told IWPR, “victory this month, Tsvangirai said his faction “They are not serious on these issues. will not be given on a silver platter”. would not run in the election if ZANU- They are not even targeting ZANU-PF PF refused to accede to its demands but civil society, whose support they at the talk. lost after they endorsed Constitutional “The MDC needs to accept Amendment No. 18 and agreed to that there is no way that cosmetic changes to the Access to ZANU-PF will level the Information and Protection of Privacy It has been hard to discern Act and Public Order and Security playing field so that the a sense of urgency in the Act,” said Madhuku. MDC can take over” - MDC in the face of crucial journalist. elections. “They are just opportunists. What they are calling for is a new constitution that is not people-driven. How can they ask people to press for a document that “The MDC needs to accept that there The two factions have also indicated they have not seen? This shows they is no way that ZANU-PF will level the that they are getting closer to a are not serious. What would people be playing field so that the MDC can take position where they might reunite. The supporting? Even civic society has not over. It has to come up with strategies groups led by Tsvangirai and Arthur seen that document.” that can work in this environment,” he Mutambara divided in late 2005 over said. “Opposition parties have won in the issue of participating in an election Nelson Chamisa, spokesman for the worse environments, even in a war to a newly-reconstituted upper house Tsvangirai faction, has said the situation, and boycotts are not the of parliament. “transitional constitution” agreed with solution.” ZANU-PF during the talks was drafted Watching the opposition parties, it has is only intended to ensure fair As the Zimbabwe Independent put it, been hard to discern a sense of elections, after which a genuinely “Given the dithering and prevarication urgency ahead of these crucial “people-driven constitution” will in opposition ranks, one gets the elections. become possible. impression that it is the Americans who are voting in March and Lovemore Madhuku, who chairs the Non-partisan observers have accused Zimbabweans in November.” National Constitutional Assembly, a the MDC of vacillating between non-government group that has reaching an accommodation with the Marvelous Chigora is the pseudonym consistently pressed for an all-new Mugabe government over the of a journalist in Zimbabwe. 2 ISSUE 22 ZIMBABWE CRISIS REPORTS MUGABE UNDER THREAT FROM ZANU-PF DISSIDENTS Powerful figures in the ruling party are building up momentum for a direct challenge to the president. By Nonthando Bhebhe in Harare A powerful ZANU-PF insider has confirmed that plans to replace President Robert Mugabe as the ruling party’s presidential candidate in the March election are at an advanced stage. In December, Mugabe appeared to have dealt with his critics within ZANU- PF once and for all when he secured unanimous endorsement as the party’s Credit: Lazele official candidate at an extraordinary ZANU-PF's Emmerson Mnangagwa entering the parliament building. Picture taken congress of members. September 20. It had been thought that the party This even includes Mugabe’s home “Most of the politburo members, meeting would see his nomination at province, Mashonaland West. including the powerful former army least debated if not challenged, but commanders Mujuru and General that possibility was taken off the The only divided province, the source Vitalis Zvinavashe and influential agenda in advance. Ahead of the said, is Midlands, which is home to former ZAPU-PF member Dumiso meeting, a key ally, Emmerson Mnangagwa. Dabengwa, want Mugabe out of the Mnangagwa, the party’s secretary for race. The majority of cabinet ministers legal affairs, said the congress would are also opposed to Mugabe as the not be looking for a new presidential Nine out of ZANU-PF’s ten candidate.” candidate since ZANU-PF’s rules made provincial branches said to it clear that the First Secretary – in this be opposed to Mugabe as a He added that the few undecided case Mugabe – must automatically be candidate.