South African President Thabo Mbeki has urged Zimbabwe’s leader Robert Mugabe to cancel next week’s presidential run-off vote and negotiate a deal with the opposition, Business Day said on Thursday.
Mbeki met Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai separately in Zimbabwe on Wednesday to try to mediate an end to an increasingly violent crisis.
Mugabe stands accused by opponents, Western countries and human rights groups of orchestrating a campaign of killings and intimidation to keep his 28-year hold on power in the once prosperous country whose economy is now in ruins.
Business Day quoted unnamed sources as saying that Mbeki tried to set up a meeting between Mugabe and Tsvangirai — their first to date — but did not receive a firm commitment from Zimbabwe’s president.
It said Mbeki attempted to convince Mugabe and Tsvangirai to form a government of national unity.
Mugabe lost the first round vote to Tsvangirai on March 29, but the opposition leader did not get the outright majority needed to avoid a second round, according to official results.
Mbeki met with Mugabe for three-and-a-half hours in Zimbabwe’s second biggest city, Bulawayo, on Wednesday night but made no comment to reporters after the talks.
Opposition sees farce
Business Day reported that Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangirai agreed to meet Mugabe and told Mbeki that any run-off would be a farce.
”Tsvangirai said the run-off would be a sham because he has not been allowed to campaign, his party officials and supporters are being arrested, harassed and killed,” the paper quoted a source as saying.
The MDC said on Thursday it had launched an urgent court application to appeal against a state ban on its advertisements and media cover of the party’s run-off campaign. Spokesperson George Sibotshiwe said the party had been told by the Zimbabwe Broadcast Corporation and Zimpapers that the state media organisations had been instructed not to accept opposition campaign advertisements or report on the party’s campaign.
There was no immediate comment from ZBC or the Zimbabwe Newspapers group.
Mbeki, who has led regional mediation efforts in Zimbabwe, has been criticised for his quiet diplomatic approach that has failed to end a political and economic crisis that has driven millions of people into neighbouring states.
Mugabe blames his foes for the violence and has threatened to arrest opposition leaders over the troubles. The United States and former colonial power Britain also accuse Mugabe of trying to intimidate opponents.
Four activists found dead
Four Zimbabwe opposition activists were found dead near Harare on Thursday ahead of next week’s presidential election, the MDC said, blaming the deaths on Zanu-PF.
The four MDC youth members were abducted on Tuesday and their bodies were discovered in various locations in Chitungwiza, south-east of Harare, said party spokesperson Nelson Chamisa.
Chamisa said the MDC suspected they had been beaten after being attacked at a local councillor’s residence by Zanu-PF youth supporters armed with clubs and whips.
”Now it’s about 70 we’ve lost,” Chamisa said, referring to the number of opposition supporters they say have been killed since the first round of the election on March 29.
”The situation in the country is getting worse. A free and fair election is impossible.” – Reuters, AFP