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The political deadlock in Zimbabwe shows no sign of being resolved. On September 15 political rival President Robert Mugabe of the ZANU-PF Party signed an agreement approving the formation of a government of national unity with his political rival Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change or MDC. But the formation of the new government has been delayed by bickering over the allocation of key ministries. Professor Adam Habib believes that “what is required is aggressive engagement from the outside to force a breakthrough that is more legitimate.”
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Zimbabwe faces political turmoil
Producer: Zaa Nkweta
ZAA NKWETA, TRNN: The political deadlock in Zimbabwe shows no sign of being resolved. On September 15, political rivals President Robert Mugabe of the ZANU-PF Party signed an agreement approving the formation of a government of national unity with his political rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, of the Movement for Democratic Change, or MDC. But the formation of the new government has been delayed by bickering over the allocation of key ministries. I spoke to Professor Adam Habib, a political analyst based in Johannesburg.
PROFESSOR ADAM HABIB, POLITICAL ANALYST: I think we’re in a bit of a dilemma in Zimbabwe. There’s no question in my mind that Robert Mugabe is a big thug. There’s no question in my mind that the real issue is how to transcend and move to a post-Mugabe scenario. The big dilemma is that neither the MDC – doesn’t have sufficient power to effect that change, and neither does ZANU-PF have sufficient power to be able to break the impasse they’re in. They’re unlikely to generate sufficient resources from the international community. They’re unlikely to create the legitimacy they need in the outside world without the MDC participating in a government of national unity. So that’s where the dilemma is, and that’s why they’ve both been forced to talk to each other. They don’t like each other, but they’ve been forced to talk to each other. It was hoped that the impasse that has emerged, particularly around the Home Affairs post, would be will be facilitated by the Southern African Development Community structures. Clearly that hasn’t happened. The MDC has responded quite negatively to that outcome. And the big dilemma now remains is: where do we go from here? I think we’re probably at the lowest point since the last two months, when the possibility of negotiations emerged. And so I don’t think there is a solution, frankly, other than a government of national unity. I don’t think the MDC has enough power to overthrow ZANU-PF. I don’t think ZANU-PF has enough legitimacy to be able to draw down the international resources it requires to start economic reconstruction. And so I think we’re going to go through this very, very difficult period, where, if you like, the new is not yet born, but the old is unwilling to die. And that’s the tragedy of where we are. What is required is some kind of aggressive engagement from the outside to force a breakthrough that is more legitimate. That’s what I think the Southern African Development Community people need to recognize, because if they don’t resolve Zimbabwe, then Southern Africa doesn’t get resolved. And that’s the big dilemma [we all] confront.
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Please note that TRNN transcripts are typed from a recording of the program; The Real News Network cannot guarantee their complete accuracy.
