next
week.
The so-called confidential report could be a product
of Mbeki and President Robert Mugabe’s propaganda
offensive aimed at hoodwinking the Sadc leaders and
shielding the Zimbabwean leader from possible
criticism over his snubbing of the dialogue
initiative, it has emerged.
Spokespersons of both factions of the MDC told The
Zimbabwe that there has not been anything to warrant
claims of “progress”.
“We have been saying that and we are still committed
to the dialogue initiative but it is known how Zanu
(PF) has been approaching the issue thereby hampering
progress, and in that case we are not aware of any
real progress as being reported,” Nelson Chamisa, of
the Tsvangirai faction said.
“We are positive about the dialogue initiative but to
say there has been progress is overstating of facts,”
Gabriel Chaibva, spokesman of the Mutambara faction
said.
It is said the Mbeki report, leaked to the press,
seeks to portray a situation of normalcy in Harare and
claim cooperation between the ruling party and the
opposition. However, The Zimbabwean has established
that the opposition and civil society groups in the
country are deploying delegations to Lusaka to, among
other things, demonstrate the worsening crisis in the
country to the regional leaders whilst also exposing
the myth about progress on talks.
These will include human rights groups, with reports
some victims of the Mugabe regime’s violent repression
will also be lined up to give testimonies to the media
in order to attract the attention of Sadc leaders.