Dumisani Muleya
22 August 2008
Johannesburg — ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe is in a tight spot on how to form a functioning new government after a smaller faction of the opposition he banked on for a coalition said it would not work with him.
Mugabe now faces the prospect of going it alone, something that would compound his legitimacy crisis and plunge the economy even deeper into the doldrums.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction led by Arthur Mutambara assured its restless MPs at a national council meeting on Wednesday that it would not join Mugabe's government. The party was facing a revolt from MPs after reports that it leadership was considering working with Mugabe.
The party deliberated extensively on claims that Mutambara had signed a "sell-out deal" to join Mugabe without main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mugabe will next week convene parliament amid protests by the MDC this will sabotage the already stalled power-sharing talks.
Tsvangirai yesterday told journalists in Nairobi, which he is visiting as part of his regional tour to press Mugabe to agree to share power, "If President Mugabe goes ahead to convene parliament, appoint a new cabinet, it means he is proceeding to violate the conditions of the memorandum of understanding which means he may have abandoned the basis for talks, but we don't know what his intentions are," he said.
Zanu (PF) and the MDC factions signed a memorandum of understanding on July 21 to provide a framework for the talks.
"A violation of the memorandum will have to be dealt with by the mediator," he said.
President Thabo Mbeki is the mediator.
Sources said although Tsvangirai's MPs would attend the swearing-in ceremony in Harare on Monday, they would boycott Mugabe's opening of parliament address on Tuesday.
The plan to convene parliament also came under attack yesterday when fringe opposition party the Zimbabwe People's Party, led by Justin Chiota, filed an urgent court application seeking a nullification of Mugabe's re-election and blocking the assembling and opening parliament on Tuesday.
Chiota's demand is contained in an urgent supreme court application . He recently secured a ruling which invalidated his exclusion from the presidential election in March. The nomination court in February rejected Chiota and United People's Party leader Daniel Shumba's applications to enter the race as these had been filed late.
However, a recent supreme court judgment said the nomination court's decision was unlawful and invalid.
On that basis, Chiota challenged Mugabe's re-election and demanded that if his application was successful, fresh presidential polls be held within 90 days.
Chiota said the swearing in of MPs and senators on Monday as well as the convening of parliament and constituting a new government should be stopped.
In the same application Chiota, a former security establishment officer, also demanded the talks should be aborted as they were being conducted on the basis of the outcome of an unlawful presidential election .
"I also submit that the settlement talks based on the results of the election impugned herein are equally an infringement upon my rights as already declared by this court, and the constitution of the government of the Republic of Zimbabwe based on such talks will be in itself an infringement on my rights aforesaid," he said.
A fortnight ago Chiota lost his legal bid to join the talks after the Pretoria High Court dismissed his urgent application saying it did not have the power to rule on a matter outside its territorial jurisdiction.
Shumba recently approached the Southern African Development Community Tribunal in Namibia seeking to have his party included in the talks.
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Prem you are always spot-on.It is definitely true that the days for Mugabe are numbered and I guess it is the people themselves that will forcefully effect that operation.Mugabe and his thugs are so over-confident that past brutal tactics used to coward the citizens still exists.They will be in for a rude shock pretty soon.
Prem, spot on again. All eyes now on the walking disaster mbeki and his nonsensical "quiet diplomacy" crap!! Cant see him recovering his credibility now..whatever he had left.
Lunatic..murderer..bloodsucker...stupid ...and on and on add nauseam. All these vulgar expletives do not add anything to the solution of the problems being faced by Gt Zimbabwe. All you do is shout insults. I am glad that even Tsvani would not pay much attention to you. By the way what do you see as a solution to the current impasse? RMG is not going away because he is a politician. Politicians do not do that ...not even in the USA and the UK where there are congressmen and MPs who have been in parliament for more than 40 years. Whats the… [Read Full Text]
Because you are mesmerised Aka., you do not want a solution! Mugabe's tunes of white & West bashing keeps you in a state of slumber.
The solution is simple; so simple you do not want to believe it!
The lunatic gives back executive power, allows parliament to run democratically. This should lead to depoliticization of the Police and the Army, declaring judges independent, retiring all cronies in public interest, the set up of an agricultural development bank to boost agriculture to feed people, putting up an extensive programme to rehabilitate public infrastructures, gradually build up industry transforming local raw materials,… [Read Full Text]
Negotiators will never achieve anything positive when dealing with the likes of RGM. He is determind to keep on ruling at all cost. Maybe it is because of his great contribution in the liberation struggle. I was just checking his profile, he was really a great man,(THEN). All that greatness is now being eroded.
aka...in your hysterical haste to defend the thug mugabe you muddled up your argument. In the states no person can serve in office for more than two terms and once served he can never run for that office again..which is why the likes of clinton and guilliane(former mayor of new york) stepped down..EVEN though the american people wanted them to stay on. It was against the constitution to hang on. In Britain Thatcher stepped down and was replaced by major when her mps got fed up with her..major in turn was dumped by the electorate and the foolish blair took… [Read Full Text]
Akapfunde, just get rid of the creep - the lunatic, murderer, bloodsucker and stupid vampire Mugabe.
When I see and hear people saying all sorts of things about Mugabe it makes me sad. It time people new how to separate bad from good. Mugabe is strong and stubborn due to the following issues: 1. President Thabo Mbeki’s unwavered support of the dictatorship 2. The army and police forces of Zimbabwe and 3. The rampant corruption and dictatorship of all African leaders.
Without support for Mugabe from the above establishements influenced and inspired by Mbeki’s quite diplomacy, Mugabe is no more and would be history.
Henry Muhwezi Ugandan Refugee Staying in South Africa
Commenter akafunde1 has made two very serious errors in comparing RGM (the politician who will not leave) to US and UK legislators. The most glaring is that RGM heads up the Executive Branch of the government, not the Legislative; a huge difference. The longest serving Prime Minister of the UK (in modern times) is Tony Blair at 10 years (1997-2007). In the US it was FD Roosevelt at 12 years (1933-1945), though now presidents are allowed a max of 2 terms (8 years). In the legislative branch there have been indeed some who have served 40 years or more, but… [Read Full Text]
See all comments.
What a rotten mess lunatic Mugabe is bent on creating? Controlling power at all costs even by keeping the country at random!
He is turning out from a hero to perpetuate himself not only as a murderer, bloodsucker and paranoiac, but also as the greatest hurdle for the economic emancipation of Zimbabweans.
These are the last signs of a dying ruthless dictator clinging despertely to power.
Stupid Oxford-educated Mutambara, mesmerised by the devil Mugabe, had to be rought down to reality by his MPs ready to cross the floor if ever he pactises with the monster.
Bleeding Zimbabweans have already… [Read Full Text]