BBC reporting Zimbabwe opposition leader has announced he's pulling out of the presidential elections. This guy is weak. You need a strong leader to go up against Mugabe. The MDC have been torn over this since he rigged the first ballot last month.
You can't expect the regime to collapse without the election to trigger it. What could? The only outside pressure that counts is South Africa at this point. Which way will they go?
Mail & Guardian reporting:
A South African mediation team was in Zimbabwe on Saturday as part of efforts to resolve the country's political crisis amid mounting violence ahead of next week's presidential run-off election.
[...]
SADC has appointed Mbeki mediator for Zimbabwe, and he travelled there earlier this week, holding separate talks with President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
South African media have reported that he sought to arrange a first-ever meeting between the two men, where they would discuss the possibility of shelving the run-off in favour of a national unity government.
Has South Africa pressured Tsvangari to pull out?
No doubt Tsvangirai weighed his conscience as to whether he wanted to aid the death of more of his supporters in a lots cause. Clearly Zimbabwe is now a defacto military junta fronted by a deluded old man. The world can clearly see what is going on. Why legitimise Mugabe's sham by seeing the elections through? Better to simply accept that Mugabe is a dictator.
ReplyDeleteI'd say there may be a good chance of civil war now if the opposition can secure refuges outside Zimbabwe and access to weapons. I've been amazed by how committed the opposition have been to upholding the law......this far. Clearly, the law no longer exists. In that case insurrection is not only justifiable, it's necessary.
"This guy is weak."
ReplyDeleteHe has been imprisoned, had the shit kicked out of him, and his supporters murdered.
He isn't weak.
Keyboard chickenhawks are weak.
"You need a strong leader to go up against Mugabe."
You mean we need a tyrant to beat a tyrant.
Perhaps Tsvangari was not prepared to become Mugabe to beat him.
No, I mean a leader that says something and does it. Not the dithering and amateur antics that have marked Tsvangari's struggle with Mugabe. Pulling out will do what exactly? All the people who have died so far - died for what? You don't announce you're going through with the election in March and then pull out with only five days to go. That will hand it to Mugabe. The violence will suddenly cease now will it? The MDC lack resolve and are divided on tactics - you can't take on someone like Mugabe successfully in that state. Short term pain will now be long term pain.
ReplyDeleteWhether or not Morgan Tsvangerai went on to contest this election, there is going to be murder and mayhem in Zim. An affronted Mugabe will be sending his 'war veterans' after all and sundry in a witch hunt to find and erase any opposition. He's done it before.
ReplyDeleteTsvangerai's only other option is civil war, but he does not have the financial backing...and more importantly a supportive neighbouring country to use as a springboard into Zim.