Chamisa: Implement GPA or Hold Elections
HARARE – The Southern African Development Community (SADC) must intervene urgently in Zimbabwe to save the fragile transitional government from collapse or the country must brace for fresh elections, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has announced.
Speaking to Radio VOP in Harare Thursday, MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said if SADC fails then they will have no option except for the government to organize free and fair elections as Zanu PF had proved to be an unreliable partner in government.
MDC’s announcement follows a decision by Zanu PF’s powerful politburo to order that President Robert Mugabe negotiators should not make any concessions in the ongoing talks between the coalition partners in government on the implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA).
Zanu PF even went on to announce that even those items in the GPA which had apparently been agreed upon like the appointment of provincial governors should be disregarded and that concessions will only be made once targeted sanctions imposed on Mugabe and his inner circle are removed.
Chamisa described the move by Zanu PF as a clear indication that there were no longer interested in the inclusive government.
“One way forward to resolve this is for out guarantors to come ascertain the status of this marriage certificate which is now in tatters. We appeal to our guarantors to intervene and help us agree to disagree and find and locate exit points to this political logjam.
“We must have a framework for basic infrastructure to facilitate free and fair elections in Zimbabwe. Let’s just have acceptable electoral management regime because Zanu PF is wasting our time in the inclusive government.
“Zanu PF has torn apart the GPA, they have thrown the GPA out of the window. Zanu PF is biting the hand that is feeding them – they lost elections in March 2008 but we accepted to share power because of our desire to end suffering among our people but now they want to grab all of it.
“They were denied legitimacy by the people and we loaned them legitimacy in the interest of going forward and saving our people from disaster. Why do people have to waste a year of talking when they know that they are not interested?” said Chamisa.
Questioned on reports that Tsvangirai had said there would be no elections in the near future, Chamisa said his president was quoted out of context and insisted that the MDC position was to go for elections.
Announcing the decision not to make concessions, Zanu PF politburo deputy secretary for information Ephraim Masawi said now that British foreign secretary David Milliband had said they would only remove sanctions at the request of the MDC, it was now clear that Tsvangirai’s party instigated the measure.
“The hypocrisy of the MDC-T’s denial of its role in the evil saga of the imposition of illegal sanctions now stands exposed for all to see.
“The people of Zimbabwe, as the victims of the MDC-T and Western murderous collusion, now demand that Mr Tsvangirai and his Western allies remove their evil sanctions so that children can go to school, the sick can be attended to in hospitals, people can find jobs and farmers produce,” said Masawi.
But Chamisa hit back saying the issue of “restrictive” measures was between Zanu PF and those who imposed them.
“These are restrictive measures against Zanu PF, it’s between Zanu PF and those who imposed them. We cannot be dragged into their politics and their past misdeeds. We were not there when they were violating human rights, we did not help them close down newspapers and arrest journalists and we did not incite them to disregard the rule of law.
“It’s a bone of contention between Zanu PF and those who have taken measures against them. We have nothing to do with the restrictive measures,” said Chamisa.
The MDC is expected to formally complain to SADC in the next few days. Radio VOP
