24 June 2007

By Geoffrey Nyarota

AFTER a number of false starts over the past few years, the negotiations between the ruling Zanu-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), currently underway with South African President Thabo Mbeki acting as overseer, offer the brightest prospect yet of a possible solution to Zimbabwe’s worsening political and economic crisis.

Taking into consideration President Robert Mugabe’s intransigency over the years, the perceived partisanship of President Mbeki’s so-called quiet diplomacy and the devastating schism within the ranks of the opposition movement, it is a remarkable achievement that all parties have finally taken seats around a negotiating table. It is a step forward, furthermore, that they have, without any acrimony being generated, agreed on an agenda to guide the negotiations.

The MDC would be well advised, however, not to let their guard down, given Mugabe’s well documented reluctance to let go of power and his capacity to divide the opposition. It should also be clear to them that Mugabe is now much like an old log, ostensibly standing defiantly but liable to topple over at the slightest push. He is finally on his knees and pressure on him must be maintained relentlessly.

There cannot be too many Zimbabweans who are not pinning their last hopes on the success of this latest initiative, given the likely consequences of failure and given a situation where the economy has finally reached the final stages of total collapse. While Mugabe has clearly reached the end of his tether, the backs of the people have finally been driven against the wall, with no room for further retreat or tightening of belts. All this is happening against the backdrop of unprecedented and worrisome reports of attempts by the military to unseat Mugabe.

In the absence of evidence of any other viable proposal for a solution to our current catastrophe Zimbabweans have little option but to lend their support to the current initiative, especially those that are either members or supporters of the parties engaged in the current dialogue. This is the time for Archbishop Pius Ncube, Bishop Nolbert Kunonga and other clergymen to lead the nation in prayers for success and peace.

Over the weekend we published a rather disconcerting report about the sentiments expressed by people purporting to be genuine representatives of the people of Matabeleland. Speaking, presumably, on behalf of the allegedly disgruntled leaders, Zanu-PF politburo member, Dumiso Dabengwa, dismissed the current talks uncharitably as a waste of time. He said Matabeleland was allegedly not adequately represented. He said the talks were not representative of the spirit of unity as achieved in 1987 between Zanu-PF and the now defunct PF-Zapu of respected nationalist leader, Dr Joshua Nkomo, now late.

"In the spirit of the Unity Accord, people here (in Matabeleland) expected that to be reflected in the Zanu-PF delegation that is meeting the opposition and the South African president," Dabengwa pronounced. The Zanu-PF delegation to the talks comprises Patrick Chinamasa, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and Nicholas Goche, the Minister Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. Both are Shona. The MDC delegation comprises the secretary generals of its two formerly feuding factions, the mainstream party led by Morgan Tsvangirai and the breakaway faction of Professor Welshman Ncube which is led by Professor Arthur Mutambara.

This faction is represented by Ncube himself, a Ndebele, while Tendai Biti, secretary general of the mainstream MDC, is the fourth delegate. For those with an interest in such petty issues, Dabengwa included, no doubt, the ethnic split of the whole delegation is in the proportion of 75 to 25 in favour of the Shona. While the ethnic composition of the Zanu-PF delegation to the talks is a matter entirely for that party to determine or resolve, it is to be hoped that the party will not create a genuine problem for itself by replacing either Chinamasa or Goche with a Ndebele delegate to appease Dabengwa. Such action would create a dangerous precedent, prompting Zanu-PF in Masvingo to demand a representative of their own at the talks.

The Zanu-PF delegation would have to increase to a minimum of four to cater for the tribal sensitivities or to satisfy the ethnic sentiment or expectation of the Zazuru, the Manyika, the Karanga and the Ndebele. Dabengwa said the political leaders as well as civic organizations in Bulawayo were scheduled to meet this week to discuss their exclusion from the talks. But Jabulani Sibanda, the former chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Associations, of which Dabengwa is now deputy chairman , does raise an extremely valid point.

If Dabengwa and company were signatories to the Unity Agreement why do they still want to maintain their old identity as Zapu to the extent where, presumably, they now want to attend the talks as Zapu? Apart from that, Dabengwa was openly rejected at the polls by the very people that he now claims to represent.

In any case Zanu-PF is not particularly popular in Matabeleland as Dabengwa himself will testify. Welshman Ncube is, perhaps, a more legitimate representative of the people of Matabelend, even though it is partly through his own nefarious plotting that the holding of the talks between Zanu-PF and the MDC was delayed. His own participation in the talks now is, in fact, by default; being the representative of a small faction of the MDC whose leader, Mutambara, is openly campaigning for re-union with the mainstream MDC.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Cape Town last week Mutambara said: "The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is working on establishing a united front inspired by a single candidate principle for every electoral contest (President, Parliament, Senate, and Council). The objective is to ensure that every opposition vote counts against Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party. Yes there are two wings to the MDC, but we are busy building a coalition with the sole and unequivocal mandate of liberation. Of course this has been a difficult exercise, but we cannot afford to fail."

Speaking of civil society organizations, as Dabengwa did, similarly disconcerting sentiments have emerged from that quarter with regard to their own perceived non-participation in the ongoing talks between Zanu-PF and the MDC. It has been reported in Harare that Zimbabwe’s civil society community is up in arms over its own exclusion from the political negotiations currently taking place in Pretoria. The Save Zimbabwe Campaign (SZC), an umbrella organisation representing more than 30 civil society organizations, expressed dismay last week that its constituent organizations were not participating in the talks.

Civil society leaders say Zimbabwe’s crisis can only be resolved by all-inclusive dialogue involving labour, as well as the non-governmental organisations (NGOs), religious bodies, women’s groups and student organizations that it embraces. Organisations such as the Centre for Peace Initiatives in Africa, the Ecumenical Peace Initiative, the Law Society of Zimbabwe and the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) are said to be demanding a role in the talks.

The civic organisations have apparently set up a committee, chaired by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), which has been delegated to secure an urgent meeting with Mbeki to present their concerns. Elsewhere, it has been suggested that Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) should be represented at the talks. It would not be surprising if Mbeki were to suffer a new bout of fatigue or frustration on account of the obvious confusion among Zimbabweans.

It is unlikely that the SZC leadership and those other persons of groups campaigning for the participation of every civil society organization at the talks have taken into serious consideration the practical, logistical, as well as the financial implications of all-inclusive participation. The scores of delegates would have to be flown to the venue and to be accommodated. Above all, they would all have to be paid the all-important PER DIEM for their sustenance. The more extended the period of negotiation, as would be the case with such a large number of delegates, the greater the cost of reaching any agreement.

Civil society comprises all the voluntary civic and social organizations and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as opposed to the force-backed structures of a state and commercial institutions. Now if all the organisations in Zimbabwe that have a legitimate claim to classification as being part of civil society were to be represented at the ongoing talks, there would be utter chaos or absolute pandemonium in Pretoria.

The SZC has so far clearly been associated with the opposition movement in the current campaign against the dictatorship of our ruling elite. If they have any specific sectarian or special interest concerns or causes that they wish to be included in the agenda of the talks, surely they can bring these to the attention of the MDC, assuming they have not already done so. If they have no faith in the ability of the MDC to represent their interests then that is an entirely different matter. They should, however, formally voice their concerns.

Without sounding disparaging of the effort and contribution of all concerned in seeking to bring Mugabe’s dictatorship to its long overdue end, there are some organizations which would be hard put to prove that they represent the aspirations of the generality of the citizens of Zimbabwe. Civil society organizations were not directly represented at Lancaster House in 1979, when Zanu-PF and PF-Zapu negotiated with Ian Smith and Bishop Abel Muzorewa, Ndabaningi Sithole and Jeremiah Chirau before signing the agreement that heralded Zimbabwe’s independence.

Neither were civil society organizations in sight when Zanu-PF and PF-Zapu signed the Unity Agreement in 1987 that restored peace to Zimbabwe. That is certainly not to say that civil society organizations do not have a meaningful role to play behind the scenes. Mr Mugabe’s enemies, the English have a saying: "Too many cooks spoil the broth."- The Zimbabwe Times

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