12 August 2008
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By Fortune Tazvida
MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai is on the verge of quitting power-sharing talks if Robert Mugabe continues to refuse shedding significant executive powers, Nehanda Radio has been told.
The marathon talks have failed to narrow the divisions between the two sides and in fact by late Monday their positions had widened further.
Party officials have also told Nehanda Radio that the positive coverage of the talks so far was a deliberate creation of the South African government and Zanu PF who together have been leaking false stories to the media, suggesting a deal was close.
‘In fact out positions are so different, Tsvangirai might walk out of these talks anytime this week,’ the official said.
A commentary by MDC breakaway faction leader Arthur Mutambara on Heroes Day and Mugabe’s own speech have become the clearest indication yet that Tsvangirai is fighting a lone battle to achieve genuine change from the process. Mutambara attacked the West while Mugabe praised Mutambara as an ‘astute young professor.’
Mutambara who a few months ago fired his spokesman Gabriel Chaibva for attending Mugabe’s controversial inauguration at State House was himself present at Heroes Acre to hear Mugabe insult Tsvangirai as a puppet of the West. Motor-mouth former St Mary’s MP Job Sikhala accompanied Mutambara.
Commenting on the talks, in clear violation of the Memorandum of Understanding Mugabe said, ‘We had a long night negotiating on some little hurdles and I thought I should raise my fist but he (Thabo Mbeki) remained cool and said: ‘Let us continue talking’. Even the astute young professor was also losing his patience. So I said, ‘Let’s remain cool, the facilitator is cool.’
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