Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has promised President Thabo Mbeki that he would adopt confidence building measures to iron out differences with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to avert a boycott of next year’s election.
Diplomatic sources, traditionally coy when dealing with the ongoing negotiations, told the Mail & Guardian that Mugabe made the pledge in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last week.
The MDC has received the undertaking with scepticism. MDC secretary general Welshman Ncube said: ”The sooner President Mbeki realises how insincere Mugabe had been for the last four years, the better. No informal talks have ever taken place, despite Mugabe’s continued assurances to Mbeki.”
Sources said Mbeki told Mugabe that he faced a dilemma at regional level. ”He was told, politely, that he would not get anywhere without a political settlement.” Mbeki assured Mugabe that the MDC would ”play ball” if everything was done in good spirit and that he (Mbeki) would send an emissary to Harare to facilitate dialogue.
A highly placed source in Zanu-PF told the M&G that ”Mugabe has a high regard for Mbeki as a sober, progressive African brother but does not take instructions on domestic political affairs.”
Editorials and columns that appeared in state-run newspapers under the name of Lowani Ndlovu, widely believed to be Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, slammed Mbeki for inviting the MDC to the Union Buildings, describing this as indirectly boosting the profile and legitimacy of the MDC which Zanu-PF considers as the enemy and British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s agent for regime change in Zimbabwe. A senior Zanu-PF official told the M&G that Mbeki should have sent junior government and ANC officials to deal with the MDC.
The MDC said it will make a final decision about participating in the poll once the government announces the election date.
”Only then we will ask ourselves whether Zanu-PF has implemented the minimal requests for a free and fair election,” Ncube said.
In the meantime they are briefing diplomats and regional governments on their demands to have repressive legislation repealed, newspapers unbanned, and to have access to the public media.