Some Zimbabweans have described as a façade President Robert
Mugabe's offer for peace negotiations with main opposition Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC). They claimed such a gesture would not help alleviate
the suffering of ordinary Zimbabweans since the ruling ZANU-PF party had
sabotaged previous negotiations aimed at resolving the country's economic and
political crisis. Mr. Mugabe made his offer soon after he was sworn in
yesterday (Sunday) after winning the country's presidential run-off, which the
outside world condemned as a sham. Main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai
pulled out of the run-off after accusing the government of sponsoring violence
against its supporters to ensure victory. Glen Mpani is the regional
coordinator for the transitional justice program of the Center for the Study of
Violence and Reconciliation in Cape Town, South Africa. He tells reporter Peter
Clottey President Mugabe is not trustworthy.
"The
reaction from his statement is that of something that is unbelievable, and
something that all quarters within Zimbabwe and outside should treat with a lot
of suspicion, and there is a lot of insincerity in his comments. Prior to this
election the MDC and the international community and regional players within
Africa were calling for the run-off to be called off and for him to negotiate,
and he basically refused flat out. The question now is what is it that has
motivated him now to see the reason that there is need to negotiate? Is it
because of his one-man presidential election? I doubt very much his sincerity,"
Mpani pointed out.
He
said President Mugabe's call for negotiations with the opposition is a set up,
which would make things difficult for the MDC in the coming months.
"I
think any call to negotiation would simply be to try and muzzle and put the MDC
into a corner, and come up with an arrangement that is heavily skewed towards
ZANU-PF," he said.
Mpani
said the ruling party missed the opportunity for negotiations with the
opposition to resolve the country's crisis.
"I
think the timing for negotiation is long overdue to negotiate. But I think the
challenge that is simply there is that if they are going to be negotiating,
they (MDC) should not negotiate on the premise of the recently held one-man
presidential election because one, it's an illegitimate election that was not
free and fair. I think they should negotiate on the premise of the March 29
election, which was basically regarded as a free and fair election. Recognizing
this one-man presidential election is basically allowing negotiated process on
a baseless foundation, and sooner or later it will implode," Mpani noted.
He
said the opposition MDC has few options available to challenge the legitimacy
of Mr. Mugabe's presidency.
"It
is certain that there is no other option than for the opposition to go back to
the people of Zimbabwe because as we can hear now the regional players are all
now pushing forward towards recognizing Mugabe as the president. Thabo Mbeki
(South Africa's president) is leading that process and I know fully well that
because there is no one within the African Union or there is no precedence that
has been set before, they are going to push that he (Mugabe) be recognized. And
they will like to urge Morgan Tsvangirai to go to a negotiated settlement that
is in favor of the ruling party, but what will that bring to the people of
Zimbabwe?" he asked.
Mpani
said the opposition MDC would be at a disadvantage in any negotiation with the
ruing ZANU-PF party.
"We
are going to have a latest pact or negotiation that is not going to transform
the institutions in Zimbabwe. The police that have been highly politicized, the
army and the courts. That is not going to transform the economy within Zimbabwe
because Mugabe has got a challenge in terms of challenging those things because
they are the ones that have been able to allow him that presidency that he has
so he will not disband those. Even if they agree, there is not gong to be any
change within Zimbabwe. So, I think he (Tsvangirai) has to go back to the
people of Zimbabwe and say what is it that we can be able to do? And I think
Zimbabweans need to know that they are their own liberators, despite how
difficult the environment is. I think they need to come up with methods and
mechanisms to confront the government," Mpani pointed out.