-
-
Zimbabwe power-sharing agreement could save lives
The country's three political parties - ZANU-PF and the two factions of the majority Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) - signed a power-sharing deal on 15 September, ending one of the worst periods of inter-party political violence since Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980. AIDS activists are hoping that the country's new administration will make good on promises to urgently improve access to affordable HIV/AIDS treatment and services at state hospitals. The country's three political parties - ZANU-PF and the two factions of the majority Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) - signe... more
-
Police Seize Zimbabwe Opposition Party members
Police have arrested multiple Opposition lawmakers Wednesday (Aug 27), right after the President announced he would include them in his cabinet.
Police said the arrests were not politically motivated, but were related to violence in the run up to the run-off election for President earlier this summer.
The Movement for Democratic Change, however, said police made the arrests to reduce the numbers of opposition lawmakers in parliament.
Power-sharing talks between ZANU-PF and the opposition -- mediated by South African leader Thabo Mbeki -- are scheduled to resume this week. Police have arrested multiple Opposition lawmakers Wednesday (Aug 27), right after the President announced he would include them in h... more -
Zimbabwean opposition leader Tsvangirai would accept prime minister post
"Zimbabwe's opposition chief would accept the prime minister's post and concede the presidency — and command of the military — to Robert Mugabe to settle a political crisis in his country, the Associated Press learned Saturday.
Morgan Tsvangirai outlined his proposal for resolving the contentious issue of who would lead any unity government in Zimbabwe in a speech Friday to regional Cabinet ministers gathered for the Southern African Development Community summit. The AP obtained a copy of the speech on Saturday, the day the summit opened.
Tsvangirai's proposal, which he said his Movement for Democratic Change presented during the deadlocked negotiations with Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, would mean a major curbing of the powers Mugabe has wielded since the country gained independence in 1980.
But it also would leave Tsvangirai working closely with a leader he has reviled as a brutal dictator. After months of attacks on opposition supporters blamed on soldiers and police, the prospect of Mugabe remaining commander in chief was worrisome to some.
Elphas Mukonoweshuro, Tsvangirai's foreign policy adviser, acknowledged in an interview Saturday there was "a possibility of abuse," but said regional leaders who were expected to endorse a deal could keep a check on Mugabe.
The opposition may have little choice. Top military leaders have said publicly they would not recognize Tsvangirai's authority.
"This whole process is about sharing power," Mukonoweshuro said, adding, "Mr. Mugabe will be head of state and Mr. Tsvangirai will be head of government with executive power."
South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has been mediating Zimbabwe's power-sharing talks, spent much of the past week in Zimbabwe trying to push Mugabe and Tsvangirai to strike a deal. The question of Mugabe's role has been a major sticking point, with the longtime president reportedly refusing to yield any power and his administration publicly mocking Tsvangirai's claim to have the mandate to lead Zimbabwe.
In his speech Friday, Tsvangirai said the two sides remain unable to agree on how powers would be divided between him and Mugabe. A South African Cabinet minister closely involved in the talks, Sydney Mufamadi, said Saturday that a deal was close but said it was unclear if a breakthrough would come during the summit.
Tsvangirai walked out of talks in Harare on Tuesday, but his chief negotiator, Tendai Biti, said Saturday that the negotiations were back on track.
Friday, Tsvangirai said compromise is necessary because Zimbabweans would reject a deal "if any party is greedy."
"We have agreed that Mr. Mugabe will be president whilst I become prime minister," he told the SADC ministers. "We envisage that the prime minister must chair the Cabinet and be responsible for the formulation, execution and administration of government business, including appointing and dismissing his ministers .... A prime minister cannot be given responsibility without authority and be expected to deliver." "Zimbabwe's opposition chief would accept the prime minister's post and concede the presidency — and command of the mil... more -
Hundreds of angry protesters greet Mugabe at South African Summit
"African leaders gathered for a weekend summit in South Africa on Saturday as hundreds protested nearby, angry at the inclusion of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
The protesters planned to march to the summit venue in Johannesburg to call on the leaders not to recognize Mugabe as a head of state after June's widely discredited presidential runoff that returned the longtime president to power.
Zimbabwe's political crisis is expected to dominate the summit of the 14-member Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional group set up to promote democracy and economic growth in the region.
South African President Thabo Mbeki, SADC's appointed mediator for Zimbabwe, had hoped to host the summit having clinched a power-sharing deal between Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. But after weeks of back-and-forth talks among the parties, Mbeki has been unable to get them to agree.
Inside the summit venue, Mugabe sat on the dais along with the other invited leaders, while Tsvangirai sat in the audience with other guests.
One leader was missing from the line-up -- Botswanan President Ian Khama, who said he was boycotting the summit because he considers Mugabe's presidency illegitimate.
Talks on Zimbabwe are continuing throughout the weekend on the sidelines of the summit, but the sides appeared far from reaching a deal. The sticking point is how much power Mugabe would retain in a future unity government." "African leaders gathered for a weekend summit in South Africa on Saturday as hundreds protested nearby, angry at the inclusion o... more -
Amnesty plan for Zimbabwean Pres. Mugabe
Under a gracious exit plan, Robert Mugabe will become Zimbabwe's ceremonial president during the forthcoming transition, after which he will retire as the Founding President and father of the beleaguered nation, protected under a blanket amnesty.
According to a draft settlement, in the possession of The Star, Morgan Tsvangirai will run the country as the new executive prime minister in a transitional government that will pave the way for fresh elections in the future.
The 50-page plus draft was circulated between the two rivals when they circumnavigated the Pretoria talks two weeks ago and liaised indirectly with one another in Harare via intermediaries.
The draft agreement will also provide the basis of the face-to-face meeting between the two men in Zimbabwean capital tomorrow, which will be facilitated by South African President Thabo Mbeki.
Although there is still no deal on the table, sources say the parties are receptive to the draft.
According to the document, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change will head the country through a period of transition.
While the MDC is pushing for a 24- or 30-month term, Mugabe's Zanu-PF is negotiating for five years. A compromise has still to be reached. Under a gracious exit plan, Robert Mugabe will become Zimbabwe's ceremonial president during the forthcoming transition, after wh... more -
Mugabe To Recieve Tough Sanctions From The E.U
According to Msnbc.com, European Union Foreign Ministers have agreed to "toughen sanctions" against the Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe pressuring him to share power with opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai. On Monday, the rivals signed an agreement to formal talks. This agreement includes a demand to end political violence which has 'killed dozens', injured thousands, and forced many cilvilans to flee their homes.
The E.U Foreign Minister made a decision to expand its 'blacklist', which consists of people who are connected to Mugabe and his government, up to 172 people including 37 others who are believed to have a financial connection to Mugabe and his party, ZANU-PF. The blacklist originally had about 131 people(Mugabe and his cabinet members included) in 2002.
An excerpt from the article:
"The ministers said in a statement they decided to expand sanctions "against those responsible for the campaign of violence that marked the elections," and vowed to take additional "appropriate measures" if Mugabe fails to hand over power to the opposition.
"We want there to be sanctions because sanctions have an effect," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told reporters after the decision.
The EU ministers also concluded that Mugabe's one-man June re-election in a presidential run-off vote was illegitimate. Tsvangirai withdrew because his supporters were being beaten and killed — was not legitimate. Mugabe insists he won the election but Tsvangirai says the only valid election was the March balloting in which he got the most votes.
"It is impossible to accept the second round of elections in Zimbabwe. With children being tortured, with barbarous acts being committed, with violation of basic democratic rules, we cannot allow this second round to be accepted," Kouchner said."
Read more at the link. According to Msnbc.com, European Union Foreign Ministers have agreed to "toughen sanctions" against the Zimbabwean President... more -
Zimbabwe leaders close to signing 'deal'
After the catastrophic and extremely violent Zimbabwe elections which saw Robert Mugabe re-elected as the country's leader in a somewhat one-sided vote, the BBC is reporting that Zimbabwean leaders are 'close to a deal outlining a framework for talks on the country's political crisis.'
A UN envoy spokesperson has said that Morgan Tsvangirai and Robert Mugabe are believed to have agreed a draft memorandum that could see the start of much needed crisis negotiations. The opposing leaders were due to sign the deal last week but Tsvangirai pulled out, due to continuing discrepancies about who rightfully won the country's elections. After the catastrophic and extremely violent Zimbabwe elections which saw Robert Mugabe re-elected as the country's leader in a s... more -
Zimbabwe "on the brink of civil war"
Zimbabwe now stands on the brink of civil war.
This is the dire warning contained in a fresh report on the political and security situation in Zimbabwe, where desperate MDC supporters are said to be taking the fight to "state-sponsored goon militias".
The report - a collaborative effort between the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and the Africa Policy Institute (API) - was released on Thursday in Johannesburg.
Its authors warn that, as a peaceful solution to the political impasse remains elusive, the spontaneous, retaliatory violence allegedly perpetrated by frustrated MDC supporters is starting to show signs of greater organisation, setting the scene for an all-out civil war.
"The MDC youth and general public are increasingly fighting back, and it is likely that their responses will become increasingly sophisticated," the report says.
But MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa on Thursday denied the claim, saying MDC supporters are the victims and that - even under extreme circumstances - they have resisted the temptation of "fighting fire with fire".
The MDC claims that more than 90 of its supporters have died in the violence that intensified after the first round of elections on March 29.
The HSRC/API report claims that state-sponsored violence against MDC supporters has triggered a "parallel emergence of retaliatory violence by the opposition which, though still covert, appears to be gradually acquiring a more structured and programmatical character".
Zimbabwe's disputed president, Robert Mugabe, will use violence to establish "total control" under his renewed presidency, which will precipitate an accelerated economic collapse and may eventually lead to "unrest and civil war", the report warns.
It also urges regional and continental leaders to work toward establishing a "neutral and professional, disciplined force" and to pull so-called "war veterans and youth militias from the streets and villages".
To avoid civil war, the authors propose that regional leaders move speedily to broker a "sustainable executive power-sharing arrangement, leading to a government of national unity with clear time frames". Zimbabwe now stands on the brink of civil war. ... more -
400,000 defy Mugabe
Almost 400,000 Zimbabweans defied the threat of violent retribution by Robert Mugabe's thugs to vote against him or spoil their ballot papers, according to official results released on Sunday. Announcing the inevitable outcome of Friday's second-round presidential poll, election officials claimed that Mr Mugabe had almost exactly doubled his tally from the first round in March, in which he was defeated by Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
According to the Zimbabwe Election Commission's figures the turnout of 42 per cent was almost exactly the same as the first round – although many polling stations were virtually deserted throughout election day.
But the body unwittingly handed a propaganda coup to the opposition, whose activists and supporters have faced intense intimidation and political violence, including murder and rape, in the run up to the second round. Officials said that Mr Tsvangirai had received 233,000 votes, with another 131,481 spoiled papers, even though the opposition leader pulled out of the election in the face of widespread and sustained violence. Almost 400,000 Zimbabweans defied the threat of violent retribution by Robert Mugabe's thugs to vote against him or spoil their b... more -
Mugabe sworn in after one-man election
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was sworn in on Sunday after being declared overwhelming winner of a one-man election which observers said was scarred by violence and intimidation.
Mugabe was the only candidate and went ahead with the vote despite a wave of international censure. The United States, which says it is preparing new sanctions, called on Sunday for strong international action.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew a week ago saying a systematic campaign of violence, which killed nearly 90 of his followers, had made a free and fair vote impossible.
The electoral commission said Mugabe won 85.51 percent of the vote. He had 43.2 percent in elections in March which Tsvangirai won with 47.9 percent -- short of the absolute majority needed for a first-round victory.
The commission said turnout was 42.37 percent, almost exactly the same as in March. Human rights groups and witnesses accused pro-Mugabe militias of forcing people to vote in some areas.
The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) observer mission also said on Sunday the poll had been marred by pre-election violence and did not reflect the will of the country's people, dealing a serious blow to Mugabe's legitimacy.
The regional grouping, which has stood by the veteran leader in the past, said the vote did not conform to regional election guidelines, despite voting on election day being peaceful. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was sworn in on Sunday after being declared overwhelming winner of a one-man election which observe... more -
Beatings And Amputations In Zimbabwe's Elections
The international community has to do something.....
-
Morgan Tsvangirai: Send in the UN peacekeepers now
A piece written today by Zimbabwe's Morgan Tsvangirai
-
Zimbabwe police raid opposition party HQ
Police today raided the headquarters of Zimbabwe's main opposition party, a day after its leader dropped out of a presidential vote due to the scale of state-sponsored violence.
Around a dozen police, some in riot gear, were seen removing people from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) headquarters in Harare and marching them on to a bus, AFP reported.
A spokesman for the party, Nelson Chamisa, told the news agency that he did not know the reason for the raid or the numbers detained.
"It's an act of desperation and frustration after we made the decision not to participate in their electoral charade," he said.
--
Photo showing members of the ruling Zanu PF party's militia beating supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change in Harare yesterday. Police today raided the headquarters of Zimbabwe's main opposition party, a day after its leader dropped out of a presidential vo... more -
Zimbabwe elections to proceed, gov't doesn't believe Tsvangirai dropped ...
This is a story you really have to read to believe. The Zimbabwe government today stated that Morgan Tsvangirai did not drop out of the election and his announcement of yesterday was nothing more than a ruse.
How would it help him with voters if they are told he isn't going to run for President?
Then again logic from the leadership in Zimbabwe has been missing for years.
Check out more at the associated link. This is a story you really have to read to believe. The Zimbabwe government today stated that Morgan Tsvangirai did not drop out of t... more -
Morgan Tsvangirai out of election
The Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has pulled out of the election run-off against President Mugabe.
With just days to go before Zimbabwe's presidential run-off, the leader of the opposition party has stood down handing automatic victory to President Robert Mugabe.
The leader of the Movement for Democratic Change said a free and fair election was impossible in the current climate of violence. He has urged the UN and the African Union to now intervene to stop what he describes as "genocide" in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has pulled out of the election run-off against President Mugabe. ... more -
Zimbabwe armed men threaten rally
Hundreds of supporters of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe have occupied a stadium in the capital, Harare, where the opposition had planned a key rally.
Other Zanu-PF men, armed with clubs, are patrolling the streets leading to the Glamis stadium, witnesses say.
A spokesman for the Movement for Democratic Change said it still planned to go ahead with the rally. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was due to attend.
(End of excerpt)
Full story at link by BBC NEWS | World | Africa | Hundreds of supporters of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe have occupied a stadium in the capital, Harare, where the opposition... more -
Zimbabwe opposition leader quits race
Morgan Tsvangirai has finally announced the Zimbabwean opposition party, the MDC, wil not be running a candidate in the presidential run-off slated for Friday June 27th. According to the BBC, Tsvangirai said "we will not play the game of Mugabe," explaining that the elections would not be free and fair, therefore there was no need to risk the well being of the party or its supporters.
The party finally decided not to run after opposition supporters heading to a rally in the capital Harare came under attack, he also sited the alleged deaths of 70 MDC supporters as a reason for the decision - calling on the international community to "protect" Zimbabweans. Morgan Tsvangirai has finally announced the Zimbabwean opposition party, the MDC, wil not be running a candidate in the presidential r... more -
Tsvangirai may drop out amidst war threats
Zimbabwe's opposition MDC party is considering withdrawing from the 27 June presidential run-off vote, a party source has told the BBC.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai is said to be under pressure to pull out in view of reports of escalating violence against his supporters.
At a summit in Brussels, the EU is threatening to impose fresh sanctions against Zimbabwe's authorities.
President Robert Mugabe has blamed the opposition for the violence.
Senior opposition MDC leaders are meeting in Harare to discuss whether or not to take part in the run-off vote.
It is not clear if they will make a decision at the meeting.
"There is a huge avalanche of calls and pressure from supporters across the country, especially in the rural areas, not to accept to be participants in this charade," opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesman Nelson Chamisa told Reuters news agency.
If they do pull out, the MDC will be handing a victory to President Robert Mugabe, says the BBC's Caroline Hawley in Johannesburg, South Africa.
see link for more Zimbabwe's opposition MDC party is considering withdrawing from the 27 June presidential run-off vote, a party source has told th... more -
Zimbabwe's Tsvangirai rejects unity government
Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday ruled out suggestions of a national unity government, saying his party was sure to win a presidential runoff despite government violence.
Tsvangirai told a news conference in Harare that Zimbabwe was being run by a military junta and 66 supporters of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had been killed since disputed March elections.
But he rejected calls for the June 27 run-off against President Robert Mugabe to be cancelled because of the violence.
"Following the announcement of the date for the run-off, no-one can change that due process unless Robert Mugabe concedes defeat, or collapses. It therefore means that a government of national unity negotiated before the runoff does not arise," Tsvangirai said.
Ruling ZANU-PF defector and former finance minister Simba Makoni said earlier the poll must be called off because a free and fair vote was impossible. Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday ruled out suggestions of a national unity government, saying his party was sur... more -
Human Rights Watch slam Zimbabwe election
Unsurprisingly, a recent human rights report which focussed on the much-publicised Zimbabwe presidential elections has returned results that state that the election was 'not free and fair.'
The New York based Human Rights Watch claims to have extensive evidence which shows that some of Mugabe's most senior officials have had involvement with violent incidents, including the operation of torture camps. Unsurprisingly, a recent human rights report which focussed on the much-publicised Zimbabwe presidential elections has returned result... more
-
related topics
Zimbabwe Elections
Contributors (76)
Zimbabwe Elections
