HARARE - South Africa says it will not allow President Robert Mugabe to unilaterally call elections before a new constitution and democratic reforms are in place as demanded by Sadc, a stance that has escalated a war that has already been raging between Mugabe and President Jacob Zuma.
South African Foreign Affairs minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane told his country’s Parliament yesterday that Mugabe no-longer wielded authority to call for an election without long-delayed reforms as required by other coalition partners and the region.
But one of Mugabe’s most senior and trusted party officials Didymus Mutasa immediately hit back and told the Daily News yesterday that the South Africans can go to hell as his boss will pronounce an election date with or without a new constitution.
“Those remain South Africa’s opinions. We are a sovereign state with a president who is mandated by the constitution to call for an election when he thinks it is appropriate,” said Mutasa.
“We will not be forced to act in a manner the South Africans want. We are a sovereign country that has its laws and the president (Mugabe) will be acting within his mandate,” said Mutasa.
South Africa holds sway on Zimbabwe’s political processes after being mandated by regional bloc Sadc to intervene and mediate to end a decade long political crisis.
Mugabe and the two MDC formations that are part of a fragile coalition government formed three years ago after South African mediation agree on the need for elections to terminate a union they all describe as dysfunctional but differ sharply on the timing.
The MDC formations agree with the South Africans and Sadc on the need for reforms before an election is held. They also say Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe without interference from 1980 until the formation of the coalition, needs the consent of coalition partners to call an election.
"The (power sharing) Global Political Agreement (GPA) envisages that an election in Zimbabwe will only be held following the finalisation of the constitution-making process," Nkoana-Mashabane said.
Currently the fragile inclusive government through a parliamentary select committee is in the process of drafting a new supreme law of the land which is expected to go for a referendum later this year.
Nkoana-Mashabane said her country was watching events in Zimbabwe with keen interest as it would not entertain any attempt to deviate from a roadmap endorsed by Sadc. The roadmap includes a new governance charter and democratic reforms that include amending the electoral system.
“Our government therefore expects that there would be no deviation from the provisions of the GPA," she added.
Mugabe and Zuma have previously traded strong words regarding the timing of elections that have now become a fresh battle zone.
Recently, the 88-year old Zanu PF presidential candidate told state media in a birthday interview that his party could ditch Zuma’s facilitation team if it continued to undermine him.
“Saka Zuma tinokwanisa kumuramba masikati machena, (so Zuma can be rejected in day light). Takatomuudza izvozvo tikati aiwa (we have told him that) we are not forced to, but we don’t want to do that. Tinoda kunzwanana,” Mugabe said.
I think meddling in Zimbabwe's political spheres is a good idea.
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| photo courtesy SABC |
South African Foreign Affairs minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane told his country’s Parliament yesterday that Mugabe no-longer wielded authority to call for an election without long-delayed reforms as required by other coalition partners and the region.
But one of Mugabe’s most senior and trusted party officials Didymus Mutasa immediately hit back and told the Daily News yesterday that the South Africans can go to hell as his boss will pronounce an election date with or without a new constitution.
“Those remain South Africa’s opinions. We are a sovereign state with a president who is mandated by the constitution to call for an election when he thinks it is appropriate,” said Mutasa.
“We will not be forced to act in a manner the South Africans want. We are a sovereign country that has its laws and the president (Mugabe) will be acting within his mandate,” said Mutasa.
South Africa holds sway on Zimbabwe’s political processes after being mandated by regional bloc Sadc to intervene and mediate to end a decade long political crisis.
Mugabe and the two MDC formations that are part of a fragile coalition government formed three years ago after South African mediation agree on the need for elections to terminate a union they all describe as dysfunctional but differ sharply on the timing.
The MDC formations agree with the South Africans and Sadc on the need for reforms before an election is held. They also say Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe without interference from 1980 until the formation of the coalition, needs the consent of coalition partners to call an election.
"The (power sharing) Global Political Agreement (GPA) envisages that an election in Zimbabwe will only be held following the finalisation of the constitution-making process," Nkoana-Mashabane said.
Currently the fragile inclusive government through a parliamentary select committee is in the process of drafting a new supreme law of the land which is expected to go for a referendum later this year.
Nkoana-Mashabane said her country was watching events in Zimbabwe with keen interest as it would not entertain any attempt to deviate from a roadmap endorsed by Sadc. The roadmap includes a new governance charter and democratic reforms that include amending the electoral system.
“Our government therefore expects that there would be no deviation from the provisions of the GPA," she added.
Mugabe and Zuma have previously traded strong words regarding the timing of elections that have now become a fresh battle zone.
Recently, the 88-year old Zanu PF presidential candidate told state media in a birthday interview that his party could ditch Zuma’s facilitation team if it continued to undermine him.
“Saka Zuma tinokwanisa kumuramba masikati machena, (so Zuma can be rejected in day light). Takatomuudza izvozvo tikati aiwa (we have told him that) we are not forced to, but we don’t want to do that. Tinoda kunzwanana,” Mugabe said.
I think meddling in Zimbabwe's political spheres is a good idea.
elections must not be held without constitution. Zuma to some etent he's correct when castigating the holding of elections whilist the road map has not been drafted. if elections are held without a constitution Zimbabwe and other oilitical parties will be manipulated
ReplyDeletel agree with the whistleblower .if we dont have a new contitution before elections,whoever would be in power might alter the contitution to suit their own needs
ReplyDelete