SADC Moves to Prevent Clashes With GNU Parties

Dumisani Muleya

23 June 2011

analysis

SOUTHERN African Development Community (Sadc) leaders have resolved that before any further regional summits, South African President Jacob Zuma, the facilitator on Zimbabwe, would engage local political principals to prevent further protests on lack of consultation similar to those made by President Robert Mugabe during the recent Sandton meeting.

Information gathered by the Zimbabwe Independent shows that one of the decisions taken at the Sadc summit in Sandton, Johannesburg, on June 12 was that Zuma should meet Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Professor Welshman Ncube before meetings to avoid similar clashes as those witnessed during recent summits in Livingstone, Zambia, and Sandton.

“A decision was made at the Sandton meeting that Zuma would before future summits meet Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Ncube as heads of the three main political parties involved in the (Global Political Agreement) GPA to ensure there are no more fights on consultations,” documents on the Sadc summit show.

“The reason was that there were arguments between Mugabe and Zuma on the issue of consultation. Mugabe claimed Zanu PF was not consulted before the Livingstone summit on the political and security situation in Zimbabwe, but Zuma insisted his facilitators consulted all the three parties. This created a situation in which Mugabe and Zuma found themselves openly in dispute in front of their colleagues and even subordinates.”

In the closed Sandton session Mugabe had with him Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, Transport and Communications minister Nicholas Goche, Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa, Foreign minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Central Intelligence Organisation Director-General Happyton Bonyongwe. Chinamasa and Goche are Zanu PF negotiators.

Zuma had his facilitators and a host of aides.

Tsvangirai was assisted by Finance minister Tendai Biti, Energy minister Elton Mangoma, Information Communication Technology minister Nelson Chamisa and Minister of State in Tsvangirai’s office Jameson Timba.

Ncube was backed by his two negotiators, Priscillah Misihairabwi-Mushonga and Moses Mzila Ndlovu.

Information to hand shows that as a result of that decision Zuma would visit Harare just before the next Sadc summit in Angola. The summit in Luanda is expected to give direction on Zimbabwe after the completion of the elections roadmap and outstanding issues.

Highlights of the Sandton summit:

• Sadc moves to prevent clashes with GNU principals:
• Meeting called to order at 6:23pm by Sadc chairman, President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia and salutations follow;
• Sadc executive secretary Tomaz Salomao refreshes minds of leaders on proceedings of the summit, mainly on Madagascar;
• Pohamba makes introductory remarks before handing over to Zuma to present his report on Zimbabwe’s political and security situation;
• Zuma presents his updated report and makes five recommendations;
• Mugabe thanks Zuma for the new report but angrily protests about the Livingstone annexure;
• Tsvangirai makes a brief presentation insisting on outstanding issues and timelines in the roadmap;
• Ncube briefs the summit focusing on the lifespan of the GPA, timeframes on the roadmap and violence and intimidation;
• Pohamba then takes over and says “We have heard from President Zuma and leaders of political parties in Zimbabwe, now I open the floor for discussions”;
• Swazi King Mswati commends Zuma for a “job well done”, talks about sanctions and says the three GPA parties must work together like “conjoined triplets”;
• Zambian vice-president and Justice minister George Kunda then makes comments, saying his country as the chair of the Sadc troika organ on politics, defence and security endorses Zuma’s reports and recommendations. He encourages GPA parties to proceed in the same cooperative spirit;
• Pohamba makes an important revelation about his mood as chairman before the summit. He says he was “worried” about what would happen in the meeting but after Zuma’s reports and presentations by Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Ncube he felt relieved. He thanks Zuma and Zimbabwean leaders for their cooperation. Further, Pohamba says: “I suggest that the summit takes note of the March (Livingstone) summit report and its resolutions and today’s report. All reports, including the Livingstone one, are then adopted and Pohamba proceeds to say Zimbabwean leaders have a responsibility to deal with “violence issues”. Pohamba turns to Mugabe and says “yes it’s true President Mugabe that incidences of violence occur everywhere but you as leaders must deal with violence. Let’s reduce violence”. Pohamba then goes on to deal with sanctions, saying all parties must work together to remove sanctions because “sanctions are harming everyone” and that if “Zimbabwe burns we all burn”;
• Botswana vice-president Mompati Merafhe congratulates Zuma on his report and says: “I hope this momentum will not be lost”. He then says Sadc leaders, including himself, were now “fatigued” about the Zimbabwe situation which has been on the agenda for “so long” and adds he is looking forward to a time when “Zimbabwe is off the Sadc agenda” because “this thing distracts our attention and dissipates our energies” while “keeping the region in a crisis mode”. He says the next elections must resolve the issue once and for all;
• Zuma bounces back and insists that “before I write these reports I consult all parties”. He says before Livingstone he had consulted “all movements” but says he appreciates the dispute over that has been cleared with Mugabe. Zuma insists he is objective and does not want a “wrong impression” created about him;
• Pohamba says to prevent unnecessary quarrels in future reports on Zimbabwe would be immediately distributed to parties. This was after Mugabe had said he had not seen the Livingstone report;
• Salomao firmly rebuts Mugabe’s claim he had not been sent the Livingstone report, saying: “I personally made arrangements for the circulation of that report”;
• Pohamba congratulates Zuma again and says he must continue like that. He then says: “I want us to endorse that principals must be consulted before all meetings on Zimbabwe”, thanks all principals and says “you have demonstrated we are getting there” before going back to the issue of sanctions;
• Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili says “the levels of engagement on Zimbabwe must be raised”;
• Contributions from Mauritius Foreign minister Arvin Boolell and then Seychelles vice-president Danny Faure follow and finally;
• Pohamba makes further remarks, thanks everybody for coming and Zuma for hosting and urges summit to pay condolences to the government and the people of South Africa for the passing on of Albertina Sisulu and then closes the summit thanking South Africa for the “warm hospitality” extended to delegates and facilitates provided for the meeting.

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