THE leadership of the Movement for Democratic Change party is divided over the way forward and yesterday the secretary general and president of the party issued contrasting statements on how to move forward after boycotting the presidential run-off election on June 27.
Speaking at a press conference Wednesday the president of the MDC-T party, Morgan Tsvangirai rejected calls by the African Union for his party to enter into a government of national unity with Zanu PF.
Tsvangirai said a unity government would ignore ‘the will of the people’, and would not solve the country’s problems.
He, however, seemed to contradict himself by further saying: “Lessons are that at the end of the day, conflicts are resolved through negotiations
.”
He continued: “Our commitment to a negotiated settlement is not about power-sharing or power deals but about democracy, freedom and justice.”
Tsvangirai said there needed to be a ‘transitional authority’ based on the March 29 poll, to prepare the ground for free and fair elections under a new constitution. He was suggesting that he would lead that transitional government; echoing statements made by the E.U. and the U.S.
Asked why he was dismissing GNU talks, Tsvangirai contradicted himself and said: “We are not dismissing the question of talks, but we are saying it cannot just be dialogue for the sake of dialogue; it has to be principled dialogue to find a solution to the crisis."
Party division
However, Tendai Biti, the MDC-T secretary general, in a statement Tuesday was singing from a different hymn book.
He said the June 27 election had ‘exterminated’ any possibility of negotiation with Zanu PF.
“The election on 27 June 2008 totally and completely exterminated any prospects of a negotiated settlement” with Zanu PF. “It is now the firm view of the MDC that those who claim they have got a mandate to govern should govern. Chitongai tione,” said Biti.
Party spokesman, Nelson Chamisa contradicted Biti’s statement saying the party was open to negotiation as long a President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa was relieved of his duty to mediate between the two political parties.
"It is our position that unless the mediation team is expanded to include at least one permanent representative from the African Union, and the mediation mechanism is changed; no meaningful progress can be made toward resolving the Zimbabwean crisis. If this does not happen, then the MDC will not be part of such a mediation process," said Chamisa in an interview.
ADVERTISEMENT
ARTICLE ATTACHMENTS
READER OPINIONS
SUBMITYOUROPINION
Please make sure you fill in all sections for your post to be submitted. Use n/a if not submitting details. The submission code below is case-sensitive. Also make sure you get confirmation that your comment has been submitted.
