Massive blow for Tsvangirai

Sadc has literally washed its hands off Zimbabwe, dealing a heavy body blow on MDC-T and opposition activists agitating for a review by the regional power broker of last year's elections won by President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party.

Tanki Mothae, Sadc's director of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security  Co-operation, yesterday told journalists at a media briefing in Victoria Falls ahead of the grouping's annual Heads of State and Government summit later this week that Zimbabwe was no longer on the regional bloc's radar.

"We are in Zimbabwe to celebrate its assumption of the leadership of the Sadc chairmanship and nothing more. That is the only reason this country is on the agenda," Mothae said.

"Whether we are happy or not with how things have penned out so far, the point is (that) most of the issues that remained after the elections last year are internal and can be implemented by Zimbabweans. Sadc is not a police of the region, we are there to facilitate."

Opposition parties, particularly the MDC-T faction led by ex-prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, declined to acknowledge the outcome of last year's polls, describing the process as "a monumental fraud", with claims of

rigging on the part of Zanu PF, allegedly with assistance from a shadowy Israeli firm known as Nikuv Projects.

Tsvangirai and his party were reportedly preparing a delegation to brief Heads of State and Government at the summit, while his foes from the other faction of his party going by the name MDC-renewal team and fronted by the duo of deputy treasurer general Elton Mangoma and secretary general Tendai Biti would also be represented by a delegation led by former cabinet minister, Godern Moyo.

Mothae said Sadc, however, would continue to monitor the implementation of the political processes and agreements in Madagascar.

"The organ, through its chairperson, will keep an eye on the developments in Madagascar, but we are happy with the progress because we have delivered a credible election there. Now, what is left is the implementation of the other phases of the agreement in that country," he said.

"If ever Sadc will need to be involved in Zimbabwe again, it will be at the invitation of the government and through the right channels, but so far so good."

Tsvangirai last month visited Britain and told his audience during a presentation at policy think-tank, Chatham House, that Zimbabwe, and in particular Mugabe, would have to be forced into dialogue to extricate the country from "the economic mire and possible social upheaval".

But Mothae said Tsvangirai or any opposition party were not on the Sadc programme.

"Tsvangirai is not on the programme because this is a Sadc Heads of State meeting and not for opposition parties. If he manages to smuggle his agenda into the summit, he would have done that through improper channels. I have not been briefed on his intention, but it is possible that he might manage that (smuggle issues) through a member state," he said.

Over the last decade and half, Zimbabwe had remained on the Sadc agenda as its economic crisis snowballed into a political problem, forcing Sadc to broker a deal that resulted in the formation of a coalition government between political arch-foes Mugabe, Tsvangirai and a smaller faction of the MDC, then led by Arthur Mutambara.

The shaky arrangement was mandated with crafting a new constitution that was adopted at a referendum last year, followed by harmonised elections held slightly over a year ago.

Mugabe once again emerged victor, humiliating Tsvangirai and forcing hawks in the opposition to call for the veteran trade unionist's removal as the leader of the MDC-T.

Since then, Tsvangirai has been fighting for his political survival.