Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Harare (Agenzia Fides) – Yet another dispute has arisen over the treaty between Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), who has threatened to boycott talks scheduled to take place on October 27 in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, and a spokesman from his party has made a statement affirming that the opposition could call for new elections.
Tsvangirai has thus affirmed his profound annoyance at the fact that he was denied a passport he needed to travel to the SADC (Southen African Development Community) Summit in Swaziland by authorities in his country. For months, the opposition leader has been unable to have a passport issued in his name. He is only granted documents for emergency trips, which are issued upon the occasion and are only valid for one trip. The document enabling him to travel to Swaziland was issued at the last minute and without the valid visa for South Africa, the stopover in reaching Swaziland. The MDC rejected the documents, calling them “insulting” and their leader rejected the offer made by some foreign politicians who had placed their planes at his disposal. With the absence of the main player in the opposition, the meeting will be postponed to October 27, and will take place in Zimbabwe.
A Tsvangirai spokesman accused the President's party (ZANU PF) of acting underhandedly: “the insistence of granting Tsvangirai provisional documents alone is a threat to the agreement to share powers.” This past September 15, an accord was signed between the majority and opposition parties (there is another dissident faction group that broke off from the MDC), forming a government of national unity. However, several controversies arose as to the assignment of key seats in government, especially in regards to the ministers in charge of the army and the police (see Fides 15/10/2008).
The Zimbabwean government's attitude has been criticized by Jacob Zuma, leader of the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa, who is now in Washington, meeting with the Bush Administration. Zuma affirmed that he was upset at the denial of Tsvangirai's passport and, together with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, exhorted them to accelerate negotiations so that the country can overcome its state of crisis. Zuma, a favorite for the 2009 presidential elections, obtained leadership of the South African majority party, following the resignation of former President Mbeki, who resigned following pressures from his own party. Mbeki is working in the mediation effort between Mugabe and Tsvangirai. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 22/10/2008)
