Zimbabwe ‘on brink of breakthrough’

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s political rivals were still locked in power-sharing talks with South African President Thabo Mbeki at the time of going to press yesterday amid signs they had closed in on a deal aimed at ending the country’s protracted crisis.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, the head of a smaller MDC faction, arrived at a central Harare hotel for the talks earlier in the day. Negotiations have reportedly included proposals for Mugabe to take on a more ceremonial role as president in exchange for amnesty from prosecution, with Tsvangirai being made executive prime minister.Mutambara spokesman Edwin Mushoriwa told AFP that Mbeki had first met all three individually before bringing them in together.Bouquets of flowers and chairs had also been brought into the same ballroom at the hotel where the rivals signed a deal on July 21 laying the framework for power-sharing negotiations, raising the possibility of a ceremony later in the day.The power-sharing talks follow Mugabe’s re-election in a controversial one-candidate poll in June.MDC number two Tendai Biti, the party’s chief negotiator, briefly spoke to reporters as he left the Rainbow Towers hotel, nodding yes when asked if any progress had been made.”I think we all need to pray,” he said.Mbeki, the mediator for the Zimbabwe talks, arrived in Harare late on Saturday following more than two weeks of negotiations in South Africa in a bid to reach a power-sharing deal following Mugabe’s widely condemned re-election.His trip came amid signs the rivals were nearing a deal in the negotiations, with both Mbeki’s government and Mugabe reporting progress in recent days.The visit also comes ahead of Zimbabwe’s Heroes’ Day on Monday in honour of those who died in the guerrilla war that led to the country’s independence from Britain in 1980 and a summit of southern African heads of state next weekend.Zimbabwean state media reported yesterday that negotiators had reached agreement on key issues and Mbeki’s meetings would focus on hammering out details of a new government.Quoting unnamed sources close to the talks, The Sunday Mail said negotiators for the ruling and opposition parties had already resolved issues related to land and other matters.Land distribution has long been a major issue in Zimbabwe following independence.Mugabe embarked on a chaotic land reform programme at the turn of the decade which saw some 4 000 white-owned farms expropriated by the state.Critics say the land programme led to Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown, with the country facing the world’s highest inflation rate and major food shortages.Mugabe blames the country’s woes on sanctions imposed by the EU and the United States following presidential elections in 2002 which the MDC and Western observers charged were rigged to hand the Zimbabwe president victory.Tsvangirai boycotted the June 27 presidential run-off despite finishing ahead of Mugabe in the March first round, citing rising violence against his supporters that had killed dozens and injured thousands.The opposition leader believes his first-round total gives him the right to the lion’s share of power, but sources in his party said previously that Mugabe’s negotiators had only offered him one of several vice-presidential posts.The ruling Zanu-PF party has insisted Mugabe must be recognised as president as part of any deal, since he won the June 27 vote.Human rights groups say Mugabe could face prosecution over a myriad of issues ranging from the killing of opposition supporters in the 1980s to the recent political violence.However, some analysts have questioned whether Mugabe, as well as his allies among the country’s highly influential security chiefs, will relinquish power and if the bitter arch-rivals could work together in a unity government.Nampa-AFPNegotiations have reportedly included proposals for Mugabe to take on a more ceremonial role as president in exchange for amnesty from prosecution, with Tsvangirai being made executive prime minister.Mutambara spokesman Edwin Mushoriwa told AFP that Mbeki had first met all three individually before bringing them in together.Bouquets of flowers and chairs had also been brought into the same ballroom at the hotel where the rivals signed a deal on July 21 laying the framework for power-sharing negotiations, raising the possibility of a ceremony later in the day.The power-sharing talks follow Mugabe’s re-election in a controversial one-candidate poll in June. MDC number two Tendai Biti, the party’s chief negotiator, briefly spoke to reporters as he left the Rainbow Towers hotel, nodding yes when asked if any progress had been made.”I think we all need to pray,” he said.Mbeki, the mediator for the Zimbabwe talks, arrived in Harare late on Saturday following more than two weeks of negotiations in South Africa in a bid to reach a power-sharing deal following Mugabe’s widely condemned re-election.His trip came amid signs the rivals were nearing a deal in the negotiations, with both Mbeki’s government and Mugabe reporting progress in recent days.The visit also comes ahead of Zimbabwe’s Heroes’ Day on Monday in honour of those who died in the guerrilla war that led to the country’s independence from Britain in 1980 and a summit of southern African heads of state next weekend.Zimbabwean state media reported yesterday that negotiators had reached agreement on key issues and Mbeki’s meetings would focus on hammering out details of a new government.Quoting unnamed sources close to the talks, The Sunday Mail said negotiators for the ruling and opposition parties had already resolved issues related to land and other matters.Land distribution has long been a major issue in Zimbabwe following independence.Mugabe embarked on a chaotic land reform programme at the turn of the decade which saw some 4 000 white-owned farms expropriated by the state.Critics say the land programme led to Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown, with the country facing the world’s highest inflation rate and major food shortages.Mugabe blames the country’s woes on sanctions imposed by the EU and the United States following presidential elections in 2002 which the MDC and Western observers charged were rigged to hand the Zimbabwe president victory.Tsvangirai boycotted the June 27 presidential run-off despite finishing ahead of Mugabe in the March first round, citing rising violence against his supporters that had killed dozens and injured thousands.The opposition leader believes his first-round total gives him the right to the lion’s share of power, but sources in his party said previously that Mugabe’s negotiators had only offered him one of several vice-presidential posts.The ruling Zanu-PF party has insisted Mugabe must be recognised as president as part of any deal, since he won the June 27 vote.Human rights groups say Mugabe could face prosecution over a myriad of issues ranging from the killing of opposition supporters in the 1980s to the recent political violence.However, some analysts have questioned whether Mugabe, as well as his allies among the country’s highly influential security chiefs, will relinquish power and if the bitter arch-rivals could work together in a unity government.Nampa-AFP