POLITICS-ZIMBABWE:
Talks Hit Snag
Eunice Mafundikwa
HARARE, Jul 4 (IPS) - The delicate nature of bringing the long-running
crisis in Zimbabwe to an end has produced varying public statements, which
in some instances make it hard for any meaningful dialogue to take place.
Discussions on Zimbabwe last week centred on the possibility of the two
main parties - the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front
(ZANU-PF) and opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) - forming a
government of national unity, or GNU as it is called in Zimbabwe.
The debate was triggered by a statement attributed to ZANU PF
spokesperson Nathan Shamuyarira that ZANU-PF was ready and willing to form a
government of national unity.
After the story appeared in a local daily, MDC said there was no chance
in hell for the party to share power with ZANU-PF. "We do not understand how
ZANU-PF can talk of a GNU without coming to a negotiating table which they
have been running away from," MDC spokesperson Paul Themba Nyathi said.
A week later, Shamuyarira told IPS that it was not feasible for the two
parties to form a government of national unity because of the wide
differences in policy.
"Our differences are not only huge but deep. We have totally different
approaches especially to the political problems of this country and the land
issue," he said.
Between 2000 and 2002, the government of President Robert Mugabe seized
land from 4,500 white commercial farmers and redistributed to landless
blacks. MDC has threatened to audit the land distribution exercise if it
came to power, claiming that most of the prime land went to Mugabe's
relatives and supporters.
Zimbabwe's history with the government of national union is characterised
by neutralising the opposition parties.
In 1987 ZANU-PF signed a unity accord with the Patriotic Front-Zimbabwe
African People's Union (PF-ZAPU), which signified the death of the later
when the two merged.
"Unity should be on the basis of conviction and not convenience," said
MDC youth leader and Member of Parliament, Nelson Chamisa.
The current political framework is not favourable for a government of
national union, an agenda that seems to be pushed on Zimbabwe by external
forces.
A government of national union would not change the framework of
governance, critics say. It will instead deliver political positions to
individuals without addressing the larger issues that affect Zimbabweans
today such as the continued shrinking of democratic space, and the declining
economy.
With inflation running at more than 300 percent, unemployment over 70
percent, and half the country's population in need of food aid, the MDC is
proposing the setting up of a transitional mechanism that would come up with
a new framework for conducting a free and fair election.
"There is nothing to comment about GNU except the word unity in it. The
only two things necessary to get this country out of its current mess are a
new constitution and addressing the issue of legitimacy," said MDC shadow
minister of foreign affairs Tendai Biti. The MDC has refused to recognise
Mugabe's 2001 presidential elections.
Lovemore Madhuku of the National Constitutional Assembly, a
non-governmental organisation, agreed. "We do not have a machinery to deal
with an under-performing government which is what we expect a transitional
arrangement to address," he said.
Lazarus Moses, a curio vendor at Sam Levy's Village in Harare, appealed
to the two parties to find ways of working together without dissolving the
other. "We do not want a repeat of the ZANU-ZAPU scenario. We want them to
work together in addressing national issues, especially the economy."
IPS understands that "quiet processes" are underway to resuscitate last
year's stalled dialogue between ZANU-PF and MDC.
But ZANU-PF does not think so. "How can we even talk about a dialogue
when we have such diametrically opposite positions on many issues?" said
Shamuyarira. "There is no way we can get out of the current situation until
there is a drastic change of position on the part of the opposition."
Without that, he said, MDC would have to wait for elections, "and judge
for themselves if they are the people's choice".
Eddison Zvobgo, a founder member of ZANU PF and former Cabinet minister,
however, feels the need for dialogue. "If the two parties can sit down long
enough they will see that their differences are not insurmountable," he
said.
His view is shared by Crisis Coalition of Zimbabwe, a Harare-based
pressure group.
In a recent position paper, the coalition said; "The key issues, which
must be addressed in order to resolve the crisis, go beyond a discussion of
power sharing. Any process to ease the multi-layered national crisis should
include a participatory and comprehensive constitutional review, and a
review of the electoral laws and institutions. This process must involve the
full participation of civil society, political parties, the business
community and faith-based organisations."
Outsides are also taking interests in Zimbabwe's crisis. U.S. President
George W. Bush, who is visiting Africa next week, is expected to discuss
Zimbabwe with his hosts.
But South African President Thabo Mbeki believes the solution to
Zimbabwe's crisis is sovereign, that it lies with the people of Zimbabwe. In
Jamaica this week, he reiterated that South Africa would not take a more
aggressive role in the neighbouring country.
Bush will visit South Africa, Botswana, Uganda, Nigeria and Senegal from
Jul. 7 to Jul. 12. (END/2003)
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