Opinion / Columnist
Before President Jacob Zuma leaves for Zimbabwe
24 Jun 2012 at 18:08hrs | Views
Before President Jacob Zuma leaves for Zimbabwe, he should pose a few questions to his advisers: "Is it worth it?", "Where are we getting it wrong?"; "How can we make a difference this time?", and so on.
Answers to these questions should arguably appraise and help focus his delegation about its mission as the facilitator on the Zimbabwe crisis.
Is it worth it?
The short answer is, yes. It is worthwhile for President Zuma to visit Zimbabwe in view of the widening gap between Zanu-pf and the MDC formations, especially as Zanu-pf is attempting to institutionalise the militarisation of elections.
The visit (if it goes ahead) would not have come at a better time after reports that Zanu-pf has mapped out a country-wide plan to have the military campaign for it and the generals giving assurances that all they want to see is a Zanu-pf victory in the next elections.
Where is Zuma getting it wrong?
For several years since becoming the facilitator on Zimbabwe, President Zuma has failed to meaningfully close the rift between Zanu-pf and the MDC formations because of not addressing the root of the problem, Zimbabwe's military which has relentlessly sought to torpedo the election roadmap through subversive and inflammatory statements.
It is worth noting that in May 2011, Zanu-pf's Rugare Gumbo said his party would not accept South African officials meeting Zimbabwe's service chiefs to discuss security reforms that are necessary to ensure the country's next elections are free and fair.
"Where on earth have you seen people coming to see security forces of another country? It is nonsensical," Gumbo told journalists after a politburo meeting in Harare last year.
What should Zuma do differently this time around?
President Zuma should not mince his words with the Zimbabwean authorities. He should give them a specific timeframe for the fulfilment of key reforms before elections are held.
For example, typical milestones could include: finalise electoral, human rights and other legislative amendments by September 2012; start implementing media and security sector reforms by October; adopt an up-to date biometric voters' roll including expatriates by November; put the new constitution to a referendum by March 2013 and hold presidential elections by June 2013.
In addition to his meetings with the principals and their party delegations, President Zuma should crucially meet with the service chiefs for a make or break session.
Unless, President Zuma reads the riot act to the Zimbabwean army generals in a no holds barred meeting during his next visit to the country, it will be another ineffectual and worthless excursion.
Zuma should remind the Zimbabwean military that other SADC countries including South Africa, Namibia, and Mozambique which fought liberation wars have not institutionalised military involvement in politics in their constitutions.
He should tell the service chiefs that the ANC has not been helped by the South African National Defence Force to win elections and ask them why Zanu-pf should be an exception.
What do the ordinary people expect?
President Zuma should get ordinary people's views about their fears about the military's involvement in any future elections and their aspirations.
Ideally, he should sound out the country's civil society leaders for their views, for example, the Zimbabwe Civil Society Coalition, Zimbabwe Crisis Group, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Zimbabwe Diaspora Group and so on.
It would be unfortunate if President Zuma allowed himself to be distracted by Zanu-pf's sanctions rhetoric which is simply a ploy to buy time while looting continues big time amid reports of Zanu-pf chefs buying jets and yachts despite sanctions.
President Zuma should also confront Zanu-pf about the alleged financing of a parallel government whereby Mugabe's secret police, is believed to have received funding and 200 pick-up trucks from a businessman based in Hong Kong in return for diamonds and access to cotton and property development opportunities in Zimbabwe.
Before returning home, the people of Zimbabwe expect President Zuma to tell the whole world in the presence of the securocrats about his accomplishments of his mission, if any, and the consequences of failure and allow the Press to ask questions.
Why should Zuma be expected to do all this?
As SADC facilitator, many people expect President Zuma to tackle all the tricky questions without fear or favour, ideally before a possible change of the guards in the ANC and most significantly, before Mugabe goes!!
Contact author: zimanalysis2009@gmail.com
Answers to these questions should arguably appraise and help focus his delegation about its mission as the facilitator on the Zimbabwe crisis.
Is it worth it?
The short answer is, yes. It is worthwhile for President Zuma to visit Zimbabwe in view of the widening gap between Zanu-pf and the MDC formations, especially as Zanu-pf is attempting to institutionalise the militarisation of elections.
The visit (if it goes ahead) would not have come at a better time after reports that Zanu-pf has mapped out a country-wide plan to have the military campaign for it and the generals giving assurances that all they want to see is a Zanu-pf victory in the next elections.
Where is Zuma getting it wrong?
For several years since becoming the facilitator on Zimbabwe, President Zuma has failed to meaningfully close the rift between Zanu-pf and the MDC formations because of not addressing the root of the problem, Zimbabwe's military which has relentlessly sought to torpedo the election roadmap through subversive and inflammatory statements.
It is worth noting that in May 2011, Zanu-pf's Rugare Gumbo said his party would not accept South African officials meeting Zimbabwe's service chiefs to discuss security reforms that are necessary to ensure the country's next elections are free and fair.
"Where on earth have you seen people coming to see security forces of another country? It is nonsensical," Gumbo told journalists after a politburo meeting in Harare last year.
What should Zuma do differently this time around?
President Zuma should not mince his words with the Zimbabwean authorities. He should give them a specific timeframe for the fulfilment of key reforms before elections are held.
For example, typical milestones could include: finalise electoral, human rights and other legislative amendments by September 2012; start implementing media and security sector reforms by October; adopt an up-to date biometric voters' roll including expatriates by November; put the new constitution to a referendum by March 2013 and hold presidential elections by June 2013.
Unless, President Zuma reads the riot act to the Zimbabwean army generals in a no holds barred meeting during his next visit to the country, it will be another ineffectual and worthless excursion.
Zuma should remind the Zimbabwean military that other SADC countries including South Africa, Namibia, and Mozambique which fought liberation wars have not institutionalised military involvement in politics in their constitutions.
He should tell the service chiefs that the ANC has not been helped by the South African National Defence Force to win elections and ask them why Zanu-pf should be an exception.
What do the ordinary people expect?
President Zuma should get ordinary people's views about their fears about the military's involvement in any future elections and their aspirations.
Ideally, he should sound out the country's civil society leaders for their views, for example, the Zimbabwe Civil Society Coalition, Zimbabwe Crisis Group, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Zimbabwe Election Support Network, Zimbabwe Diaspora Group and so on.
It would be unfortunate if President Zuma allowed himself to be distracted by Zanu-pf's sanctions rhetoric which is simply a ploy to buy time while looting continues big time amid reports of Zanu-pf chefs buying jets and yachts despite sanctions.
President Zuma should also confront Zanu-pf about the alleged financing of a parallel government whereby Mugabe's secret police, is believed to have received funding and 200 pick-up trucks from a businessman based in Hong Kong in return for diamonds and access to cotton and property development opportunities in Zimbabwe.
Before returning home, the people of Zimbabwe expect President Zuma to tell the whole world in the presence of the securocrats about his accomplishments of his mission, if any, and the consequences of failure and allow the Press to ask questions.
Why should Zuma be expected to do all this?
As SADC facilitator, many people expect President Zuma to tackle all the tricky questions without fear or favour, ideally before a possible change of the guards in the ANC and most significantly, before Mugabe goes!!
Contact author: zimanalysis2009@gmail.com
Source - Clifford Chitupa Mashiri | Political Analyst, London
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