Zim problems ‘exaggerated’

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s main opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said on Saturday it would ‘enlighten’ regional leaders who have dismissed the country’s crises as exaggerated.

“We will continue to enlighten Southern African Development Community (SADC) on the crises affecting us, which have resulted in our people fleeing to other countries in large numbers,” MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told AFP, reacting to a statement by Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa. “We remain focused to allow the region and the entire continent to stand on the side of the people and not to stand on the side of Mugabe and his people who are the authors of these crises and who are also benefiting from them,” Chamisa said, referring to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.On Friday Mwanawasa, who is also chairman of the SADC, said at the close of a regional summit: “We …feel that the problems in Zimbabwe have been exaggerated.”The country, he added, would find a solution to its economic woes.”We are quite satisfied with the report from South African President Thabo Mbeki on the crisis in Zimbabwe,” the Zambian leader said.Earlier, however, Mwanawasa had likened neighbouring Zimbabwe to a ‘sinking Titanic’.In the throes of an economic crisis, Zimbabwe is plagued with hyperinflation well past the 5 000 per cent mark, four in five people jobless, and 80 per cent of the population living below the poverty threshold.Chamisa said the MDC was discouraged and disappointed by Mugabe’s insistence that problems were minimal.”Companies are closing down, there is shortage of food, shops are empty.”We would have thought Mugabe would have at least owned up and say we have a challenge, which will need the ruling party and the opposition to sit and talk,” the spokesman said.The 83-year-old Mugabe, who has ruled his country for nearly three decades, has blamed the country’s woes on drought and the imposition of targeted sanctions by Western nations on himself and members of his inner circle.But critics say problems started with a much-disputed government land reform programme in 2000 that saw thousands of white-owned commercial farms seized and redistributed to landless blacks and government cronies.Meanwhile, a South African a newspaper on Saturday lashed out at President Thabo Mbeki and SADC leaders for allegedly being soft on Mugabe at the just-concluded summit in Zambian capital Lusaka.”The SADC leaders are a pathetic, week-kneed bunch, judging by their inability to resolve the Zimbabwean crisis,” the opposition newspaper said in its editorial titled ‘Mbeki bows to the hero of SADC’.”And none is more ineffectual than Mbeki, mandated by the SADC to facilitate a political solution, he has got precisely nowhere,” it said.Nampa-AFP”We remain focused to allow the region and the entire continent to stand on the side of the people and not to stand on the side of Mugabe and his people who are the authors of these crises and who are also benefiting from them,” Chamisa said, referring to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.On Friday Mwanawasa, who is also chairman of the SADC, said at the close of a regional summit: “We …feel that the problems in Zimbabwe have been exaggerated.”The country, he added, would find a solution to its economic woes.”We are quite satisfied with the report from South African President Thabo Mbeki on the crisis in Zimbabwe,” the Zambian leader said.Earlier, however, Mwanawasa had likened neighbouring Zimbabwe to a ‘sinking Titanic’.In the throes of an economic crisis, Zimbabwe is plagued with hyperinflation well past the 5 000 per cent mark, four in five people jobless, and 80 per cent of the population living below the poverty threshold.Chamisa said the MDC was discouraged and disappointed by Mugabe’s insistence that problems were minimal.”Companies are closing down, there is shortage of food, shops are empty.”We would have thought Mugabe would have at least owned up and say we have a challenge, which will need the ruling party and the opposition to sit and talk,” the spokesman said.The 83-year-old Mugabe, who has ruled his country for nearly three decades, has blamed the country’s woes on drought and the imposition of targeted sanctions by Western nations on himself and members of his inner circle.But critics say problems started with a much-disputed government land reform programme in 2000 that saw thousands of white-owned commercial farms seized and redistributed to landless blacks and government cronies.Meanwhile, a South African a newspaper on Saturday lashed out at President Thabo Mbeki and SADC leaders for allegedly being soft on Mugabe at the just-concluded summit in Zambian capital Lusaka.”The SADC leaders are a pathetic, week-kneed bunch, judging by their inability to resolve the Zimbabwean crisis,” the opposition newspaper said in its editorial titled ‘Mbeki bows to the hero of SADC’.”And none is more ineffectual than Mbeki, mandated by the SADC to facilitate a political solution, he has got precisely nowhere,” it said.Nampa-AFP