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SADC now part of the problem

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Written by The Editor

Wednesday, 04 November 2009 14:00

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Zimbabweans should not hold their breath for the SADC meeting in Maputo today. The chances of something decisive in favour of the majority of Zimbabweans being agreed there are slim indeed. SADC is now part of the problem. ( Pictured : SADC family members)
The regional body’s leaders have demonstrated on numerous occasions that they are utterly spineless when faced with a recalcitrant Robert Mugabe on his anti-colonialism hobby-horse.
Their last meeting in Kinshasa, where they could have prevented the current impasse in the GNU, was a case in point. Their inaction at that meeting is, in fact, what has forced the MDC’s hand and resulted in the disengagement. The MDC had nowhere else to go.
SADC is supposed to be the guarantor of the Global Political Agreement – but they have persistently sidestepped the MDC’s legitimate complaints about Zanu (PF)’s non-compliance while entertaining Mugabe’s ludicrous “sanctions” posturing. Their pro-Mugabe bias is evident to all. Over the past five years, this editorial column has catalogued countless instances of SADC failing the people of Zimbabwe. Their record of kowtowing to Mugabe, for whatever reason, has been well catalogued. We had hoped that with the departure of Thabo Mbeki and the advent of Jacob Zuma, there would be a new approach – a more even-handed way of dealing with Zimbabwe. But our hopes have been dashed.
We were disappointed to note that even the South African officials assisting the Troika’s foreign ministers, who were in Zimbabwe last week, were from the original Mbeki team. What we can hope in, however, is a meeting taking place today thousands of kilometres away – in Washington – where Botswana’s President Ian Khama is meeting US President Barack Obama to talk about good governance in Africa. We understand Zimbabwe will feature prominently on the agenda. Khama’s principled stance on refusing to recognise Mugabe as president of Zimbabwe after he stole the 2008 election has been internationally commended. And he has already said that if the MDC pulls out of the GNU, Mugabe will no longer be the legitimate president. His meeting with Obama, whose stance on Zimbabwe is similarly principled, will have far-reaching consequences. We are holding our breath for that. Zimbabwe’s time must surely come soon.

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Comments (1)

|2009-11-05 21:16:35 bobymafi - SADC must accept change!

Its a fact that liberation movements Frelimo, Zanu PF, Zapu, ANC, MPLA and ANC contributed immensely to the liberation of the region from colonialism. For that we are grateful and we have nothing besides respect for the selfless role.However for them to want to freeze history and try to prop up former liberation movements that have lost sight of the cause of liberation is not going to be tolerated. For them to define liberation to such narrow terms as to mean mere removal of whites from the corridors of power and replace them with oppressive black leaders is NOT acceptable even from our erstwhile liberation heroes!The purpose of the liberation movement was not so that the former liberation movements would behave as if they own independence. NO independence belongs to the people and the people while respecting the movements will not stand by and allow our independence to be demeaned. Thirty years after independence we are a mature people, we gave Zanu PF time time to renew itself and...

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