Mbeki in Mozambique for Zimbabwe talks

SOUTH African President Thabo Mbeki arrived in Mozambique Thursday for talks with his counterpart Armando Guebuza which are set to focus on the post-election crisis in their common neighbour Zimbabwe.

This is part of President Mbeki’s regional consultation efforts to try and find a common solution for Zimbabwe.

There has been mounting incidents of violence in Zimbabwe following the harmonised presidential, parliamentary and local council elections held on March 29, 2008.

President Mbeki, the region's chief mediator on Zimbabwe, has been widely criticized for his “quiet diplomacy” approach on Zimbabwe, but has remained steadfast in dealing with the Zimbabwe situation.

Recently, President Mbeki appointed a team of former army generals to go on a fact finding mission in Zimbabwe.

The Southern African National Defence Force (SANDF) team Led by Lt-Gen Gilbert Lebeko Ramano, former South African army chief, is part of the Sadc mediation initiative investigating cases of violence in the country.

SANDF is intervening under the banner of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security.

A presidential election run-off is now set to be held at the end of July at the instigation of the Mugabe-appointed electoral commission.

Mbeki was also due to hold talks with the Donald Kaberuka, president of the African Development Bank, which is currently holding its annual meeting in Maputo.

President Mbeki seems to be continuing with his efforts despite calls by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change to have him ‘sacked’ as mediator in the Zimbabwean situation and replaced by Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa.