We believe in SADC – Mutambara (17-08-07)

8 of August, South African President Thabo Mbeki will present a
report on the mediation efforts to settle the Zimbabwean crisis.

Spokesman Gabriel Chaibva said that the summit was for ministerial
delegates and his party were confident that the matters that they had discussed
with Mbeki would be presented in the report.

He went on to add that his party fully supported and endorsed the SADC
initiative to solve the Zimbabwean crisis, and sending a delegation to
the SADC meeting would only serve to “question a process that has not yet
been concluded”.

“Such action would have been contemptuous of SADC in particular and
African processes in general,” said Chaibva. He went on to admit that his party
was “among the first to acknowledge that African process are still
demonstrably imperfect” but added that as Africans they had a duty to “contribute
positively to their strengthening and evolution.”

Mugabe received thunderous applause when he arrived at the summit
yesterday. The Zambian Minister of Information, Mike Mulongoti said: “Zambia
cannot impose its will on Zimbabwe, just as Zimbabwe cannot impose its will on
Zambia.” However he admitted that Zimbabwe’s situation was steadily
worsening.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa rejected the need for any political
reform in Zimbabwe. “There are no political reforms necessary in my
country.We are a democracy like any other democracy in the world.”