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| East/Subsaharan Africa |
| Bob to step down in Zim? |
| 2003-01-12 |
| President Robert Mugabe would resign and hand authority to a new power-sharing government under a deal discussed by Zimbabwe's ruling party and opposition officials, mediators said Sunday. The offer made by two of the ruling party's most powerful figures — Parliament speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa and armed forces commander Gen. Vitalis Zvinavashe — was an effort to help Zimbabwe regain international legitimacy and renewed aid and investment during a period of transitional rule. Bob? Step down? Sounds unlikely, but... The mediators, who fear allegations of treason if the deal collapses, said the opposition Movement for Democratic Change was assured Mugabe would step down under any deal. "Allegations of treason" means some 19-year-old "war veterans" will kill them... "There is wide consensus Mugabe is the problem, and national and party dialogue must begin," said a mediator who spoke on condition on anonymity. "Colleagues have shifted the blame onto him, and he must accept the consequences." The problem becomes Bob, himself, not Bob and his cronies... Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai confirmed the offer and told The Associated Press his party's lawmakers were ready to vote with the ruling party for a constitutional amendment creating a caretaker government once Mugabe stepped down. That would be a departure from recent opposition policy. Probably they've reached the point where they'll do most anything to get rid of him... A power-sharing government would try to end an economic meltdown that has sent inflation soaring, caused a massive fuel shortage and left at least half Zimbabwe's population on the verge of starvation. All courtesy of Bob and his pals. Zim used to be the breadbasket of Africa. Now it's a basket case... Mugabe, 78, who led the nation to independence in 1980, won a new six-year term in March elections. Independent observers said the elections were deeply flawed and the opposition, along with Britain, the European Union and the United States, say the voting was rigged and influenced by violence and intimidation. "Deeply flawed" means they were crooked... The early retirement of Mugabe, once seen as a towering African statesman, had long seemed inconceivable. The deal would guarantee him immunity from any potential prosecution, Tsvangirai said. The opposition, which repeatedly has called for Mugabe to be tried for alleged misrule and human rights violations during his 23 years in power, would not insist Mugabe go into exile. Just toss him in an old folks' home and ignore him... "The country is on its knees. If people are asked to make that sacrifice of giving him immunity, and to say, 'Let's forget the past and move forward,' let it be," Tsvangirai said. "We have more to lose by getting bogged down until the country collapses and more to gain by saying this is a hurdle we have overcome" Yup. They're past the point of bickering now... Mugabe, who is expected to return to his office in Harare on Monday after a two-week vacation abroad, has not commented on any possible deal. His absence during the country's food and gasoline crises fanned criticism at home. Maybe he should consider not coming home? But there's also the likelihood that once he's back on the ground, those negotiating to get rid of him will go back to kissing his... ummmm... ring. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #1 If you kick the king, you better kill him. That applies here, too. Seems like a game of all-for nothing mediation. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-01-12 22:58:09 |