President Robert Mugabe and the two MDC leaders, Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara are meeting this
Monday for what is set to become a very tense round of talks centering on outstanding issues to the Global Political Agreement (GPA).
The meeting of the three principals is routine but the only difference this time is that it is coming against the background of “absolute anger and frustration in the Zanu-PF Politburo at the non-placard disposition of the MDC regarding outstanding issues.” Last Thursday Zanu PF politburo meeting called on Mugabe, to repel further pressure from the MDC which wants Zanu PF to commit itself into fulfilling outstanding issues to the GPA.
The MDC is keen to see the unilateral appointments by Mugabe of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana revisited as they were done in violation of the GPA. The MDC is agitated by the apparent refusal by Mugabe to swear in its officials that have been nominated to take up posts for provincial governorship.
The MDC also wants Zanu PF to stop the systematic prosecution of its legislators who continue to be arrested for crimes involving theft, electoral fraud, rape, inciting public violence, among others. The MDC says the prosecutions are a deliberate attempt by Zanu PF to trim its razor thin parliamentary majority.
During Monday’s meeting, Mugabe is expected to ask his colleagues how far they have played their part in fulfilling their own obligations. Zanu PF spokesperson, Ephraim Masawi told journalists at the weekend that Zanu PF was not happy with the MDC’s failure to stop the operations of so-called pirate radio stations based abroad but broadcasting into Zimbabwe.
Zanu PF says the MDC has not done enough in actively advocating for the lifting of targeted sanctions imposed on the country and its politicians by the West, an assertion which the MDC has vehemently dismissed.
But in a statement, the MDC blamed the imposition of sanctions on Mugabe’s repressive rule in the past decade, which has been characterized by the arrest of political opponents, journalists and the open manipulation of electoral systems to secure an easy victory. “The world is clear that the so-called sanctions are a result of Zanu PF’s past sins of omission and commission,” said the MDC.
“The onus is on Zanu PF itself to morph into a civilised political party that does not believe in the primitive and feudal coercive politics of machetes and knobkerries. The MDC cannot be held accountable for Zanu PF’s political misfortunes and the barbaric image it has carved out for itself in the eyes of Africa and the world ‘ said the MDC
