By Fungi Kwaramba
Former South African president Thabo Mbeki — who brokered unity government talks in 2008 — on Monday quietly jetted into the country on a private visit to meet with President Robert Mugabe.
His visit has fueled speculation that the politician, who served as the second post-apartheid president of South Africa from June 1999 to September 2008, could be in Harare to persuade Mugabe to resolve the thorny succession issue.
Mbeki’s visit comes on the backdrop of serious factional fights in Zanu PF, which have sucked in the military, amid concerns that the wrangles could boil over and threaten internal and regional peace.
Several reports, including one produced by a United States-based political think-tank, have already warned of the possibility of bloodshed over Mugabe’s succession.
Mugabe’s spokesperson, George Charamba, confirmed to the Daily News that Mbeki had indeed met his boss, but declined to disclose details of their discussions.
He said: “It was a private visit and it was at his (Mbeki) request. Yes, he met the president”.
While confirming Mbeki’s visit, Mphakama Mbete, the South African ambassador to Zimbabwe, yesterday said it was Mugabe who extended the invitation to the former African National Congress (ANC) leader.
“He is here on a visit at the invitation of president Mugabe to meet him. This is a business visit but more private, really. You may recall when the former president of Botswana passed on, around that time president Mugabe indicated that he would be meeting (former) president Mbeki to discuss various things such as how former liberation movements have evolved,” said Mbete.
Sir Ketumile Masire, the former president of Botswana, died last month at the age of 91.
Mbeki and Mugabe were part of the high-profile figures who attended his funeral.
Asked whether the two leaders would discuss the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe, Mbete, retorted “of course”.
“By definition, such a discussion will take place in exchange of ideas between South Africa and Zimbabwe. The meeting is to exchange views. Remember they worked together during the global political agreement talks between the ruling party and some opposition (parties). They have not met in a long time and president Mugabe felt it was important that they meet to discuss issues,” said Mbete.
Mbeki, who continues to divide opinion in Zimbabwe following his controversial role in negotiating the geopolitical agreement of 2008 between Zanu PF and two formations of the MDC, received five-star treatment upon touching down at the Harare International Airport on Monday.
Former Finance minister Tendai Biti, who was one of the negotiators of the global political agreement (GPA) in 2008, which the MDC said favoured Zanu PF, yesterday poured scorn at Mbeki’s visit on his Twitter handle.
Biti now leads the People’s Democratic Party after breaking ranks with Morgan Tsvangirai — leader of the main MDC party.
“President Mbeki, what are you doing in Harare today? Stop subjective meddling in an irredeemable sewer. Quiet diplomacy is constructive engagement,” said Biti.
Since his involvement in the coalition talks in 2007, Mbeki has proved to be a close confidant of Mugabe.
He recently revealed to South African media that the ANC had always kept a watchful eye on unfolding events in Zimbabwe.
In an interview with a South African radio station, Mbeki said even prior to the government of national unity (GNU) between Mugabe and the MDC formations led by Tsvangirai, who was the Prime Minister, and Arthur Mutambara, the ANC had written a critique on Zanu PF that, among other things, highlighting the rot in Zimbabwe under Mugabe’s watch.
Asked by his host if Zimbabwe was progressing as it should under Mugabe’s stewardship, Mbeki said “Zimbabwe is not where it is supposed to be, they have failed to implement the GPA”.
The MDC blamed Zanu PF for stalling the full implementation of the GPA, with the ruling party only implementing piecemeal concessions.
Asked whether the ANC had been approaching Zanu PF as a former liberation movement and not taking decisive action to save the situation — Mbeki said his views on other countries were based on non-interference.
“… Mugabe has every possibility to help himself, the first people to approach us were the MDC and the first thing they asked was the amendment of the Constitution and I had to meet president Mugabe at the airport when he was going to Malaysia or Indonesia and said to him president the MDC had engaged us, in the end we actually prepared a 40-page critique of what was happening in Zimbabwe and sent it to Zanu PF, the ANC wanted to say to Zanu PF you are doing wrong, but the document was leaked, in the context of resolving the conflict there the view we took was that it is the duty of the people of Zimbabwe to determine their future,” said Mbeki. Daily News
