/ 21 February 2008

MDC factions agree on failure in Zim

In an unusual show of unity, the two secretary generals of the two factions of Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have described the dialogue that was meant to resolve the country’s meltdown as ”dead”.

The dialogue followed the brutal assault of MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai and other opposition leaders in March last year and has been lauded by the Southern African Development Community as a success.

Welshman Ncube, secretary general of the Arthur Mutambara-led faction of the MDC, and Tendai Biti, secretary general of the Tsvangirai-led faction, were speaking at a joint press conference held in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Ncube said bluntly ”the dialogue has failed”, which has ”undermined those who advocate change by peaceful means and strengthened the hands of those who advocate violence”.

He painted a dire scenario for Zimbabwe after its upcoming elections. ”No one knows what the situation will be like after the elections … whether Zimbabweans will start using machetes,” he said.

Biti said ”we feel let down by the process” and hinted that the election has already been ”stolen”.

”What will happen on March 29 has nothing to do with what will happen in the election halls,” he said, adding that there is no way President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF will win an election fairly when inflation has soared to 100 580,2% and up to 80% of the population is living on less than $0,20 a day.

Biti said the path to a free and fair election is littered with impediments such as tough security laws, restrictive information laws that deny the MDC access to state media, and the use of food aid to gain votes.

In a statement, Ncube and Biti strongly protested against ”the misrepresentations in both the facilitator [South African President Thabo Mbeki] and the subsequent SADC communiqué”. The two ”vehemently objected to the suggestion that the dialogue had been successfully concluded save for” procedural issues related to the enactment of a new constitution.

Biti said the forthcoming elections will be ”contested” and the MDC is participating ”under protest” and ”with a heavy heart”. The statement described the failure of the negotiations as a ”catastrophe” both for the people of Zimbabwe and the region.

Biti and Ncube said unresolved issues are voter registration, at present in the hands of a Mugabe appointee; delimitation of constituencies, done by a Mugabe appointee; a partisan electoral constitution; the denial of the right of non-resident Zimbabweans to vote; and the absence of media and human rights commissions.

Birthday

Meanwhile, ”Paragon of magnanimity, consistency,” read a tribute in the state-owned Herald newspaper on Thursday to Mugabe on the occasion of his 84th birthday. Another, accompanied by a picture of Mugabe with raised fist — a ruling-party symbol of strength — proclaimed: ”Born with invaluable leadership qualities.”

Mugabe was showered with praise and happy wishes from his supporters as he celebrated his birthday. State radio constantly played the chorus of the 1980s hit song ”God bless President Mugabe/ he is our beacon”, while the Herald dedicated 18 pages to congratulatory messages and pictures of the continent’s oldest serving president.

”We wish you many more years and personal good health as well as all success in all your endeavours to direct the affairs of the state under very challenging circumstances,” the Foreign Ministry said in its message.

”Having spent many years of incarceration in Rhodesian prisons and leading the struggle for independence from outside, you have deservedly lived to champion the empowerment of Zimbabweans and consolidation of national sovereignty,” said Parliament.

China’s ambassador to Harare gave Mugabe a framed drawing as a birthday gift. ”Your Excellency, you are a great revolutionary in the world, the best friend of the Chinese people,” ambassador Yuan Nansheng said after presenting the work to Mugabe.

Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, winning re-election in 2002 in a vote that Western observers and the opposition said was flawed.

He had said that he would be ready to step down when his term ends this year but will stand again in general polls next month to seek a sixth term. He faces a challenge from Tsvangirai and his former finance minister Simba Makoni.