Mbeki says election key to Zimbabwe crisis

LONDON – South African President Thabo Mbeki said he believed Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe will step down peacefully and that the chief challenge for the region was to ensure Zimbabwe has free and fair elections next year.

Mbeki told yesterday’s Financial Times he had started mediation following his appointment last week by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to spearhead efforts to resolve Zimbabwe’s crisis. Asked if the 83-year-old Mugabe – accused of electoral abuses and economic mismanagement by the opposition – would eventually stand down, Mbeki said he believed he would.”I think so.Yes, sure,” Mbeki said.”You see, President Mugabe and the leadership of (the ruling) Zanu-PF believe they are running a democratic country.””That’s why you have an elected opposition, that’s why it’s possible for the opposition to run municipal government (in Harare and Bulawayo),” he said in an interview.The SADC appointed Mbeki to act as mediator between Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) when it held a summit in Tanzania last week after the Zimbabwe government’s violent March 11 crackdown on political opponents.The South African leader dismissed suggestions that Zimbabwe’s neighbours could force change in the country.”We don’t have a big stick,” he said, adding a joint approach by African leaders could pave the way to a settlement.Mbeki said his office had already been in contact with both of the MDC’s main factions and Zanu-PF to draw up a negotiating framework for next year’s elections, in which Mugabe has already been endorsed as the Zanu-PF candidate.Mbeki said the future talks would likely focus on MDC demands for legal and electoral reforms, including the strict media and security laws which critics say Mugabe has used to entrench his power in the country.”I am quite clear from previous interactions with the MDC we have had they will raise questions …like legislation affecting the media, legislation about holding of public meetings,” Mbeki said in the online transcript of his interview.We will then engage Zanu-PF saying it is necessary to respond to all of these.We may very well come to a stage later when they will have to sit together to agree …(on) what they will do to create a climate conducive to free and fair elections.”The MDC’s principal leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, said in Johannesburg he would be willing to commit to any election that could be guaranteed free and fair, but said it would require quick action from Mbeki to create the appropriate conditions.The SADC, criticised in the West for turning a blind eye to Mugabe’s crackdown, hopes its appointment of Mbeki will lead to direct talks between the two.Nampa-ReutersAsked if the 83-year-old Mugabe – accused of electoral abuses and economic mismanagement by the opposition – would eventually stand down, Mbeki said he believed he would.”I think so.Yes, sure,” Mbeki said.”You see, President Mugabe and the leadership of (the ruling) Zanu-PF believe they are running a democratic country.””That’s why you have an elected opposition, that’s why it’s possible for the opposition to run municipal government (in Harare and Bulawayo),” he said in an interview.The SADC appointed Mbeki to act as mediator between Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) when it held a summit in Tanzania last week after the Zimbabwe government’s violent March 11 crackdown on political opponents.The South African leader dismissed suggestions that Zimbabwe’s neighbours could force change in the country.”We don’t have a big stick,” he said, adding a joint approach by African leaders could pave the way to a settlement.Mbeki said his office had already been in contact with both of the MDC’s main factions and Zanu-PF to draw up a negotiating framework for next year’s elections, in which Mugabe has already been endorsed as the Zanu-PF candidate.Mbeki said the future talks would likely focus on MDC demands for legal and electoral reforms, including the strict media and security laws which critics say Mugabe has used to entrench his power in the country.”I am quite clear from previous interactions with the MDC we have had they will raise questions …like legislation affecting the media, legislation about holding of public meetings,” Mbeki said in the online transcript of his interview.We will then engage Zanu-PF saying it is necessary to respond to all of these.We may very well come to a stage later when they will have to sit together to agree …(on) what they will do to create a climate conducive to free and fair elections.”The MDC’s principal leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, said in Johannesburg he would be willing to commit to any election that could be guaranteed free and fair, but said it would require quick action from Mbeki to create the appropriate conditions.The SADC, criticised in the West for turning a blind eye to Mugabe’s crackdown, hopes its appointment of Mbeki will lead to direct talks between the two.Nampa-Reuters