The SADC Council of Ministers, who met in Lusaka since Thursday until yesterday, again opposed sanctions against Zimbabwe, in hopes that a softly-softly approach will get Mugabe to comply with amendments to media, security and electoral laws agreed in the flopped mediation. This is aimed at ensuring free and fair elections on March 29. The ministers from the 14-nation SADC backed Mugabe’s leadership, even though Zimbabwe was slipping deeper into chaos, in an attempt to soften the geriatric leader and bring him on board, officials said. The Zimbabwean heard that the SADC ministers gave proposals for an escape route through Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, who represented Zimbabwe at the meeting. The cocktail of measures was recommended by finance experts who met in Lusaka prior to the Council of Ministers meeting.They include conditional support for the economy in cash support from Britain and other key Western donors if the election is free and fair.The ball is clearly in Mugabe’s court and the destiny of Zimbabwe in his hands, said a SADC diplomat. He can seize the opportunity by playing ball with SADC and return his country to tranquility. Or he can play games with them, close the doors and push his country and even the whole southern African region into chaos, he said, adding: Zimbabwe is contagious and it could affect its neighbours.Mbeki is due to table the final report on his failed mediation to Angolan President Eduardo Dos Santos , the chairman of the SADC troika on Politics, Defence and Security during the SADC heads of State and government meeting in South Africa later this month.The Zimbabwean heard that Mumbengegwi vigorously defended the Zimbabwe crisis, and blamed sanctions for the appalling state of the economy. Mumbengegwi also claimed that the diaspora could not vote because of travel restrictions imposed on top Zanu (PF) officials, which he said precluded them from traveling overseas to campaign. He also staunchly denied accusations that the opposition was being denied media coverage.Diplomats in the region said the regional strategy was to back Mugabe while at the same time employing mediation and conciliation tactics in a last-ditch attempt to get him to comply with regional and international norms governing the conduct of elections.We would not look at it as blind support for Mugabe, and it would be misleading if the Zimbabweans took it that way, a SADC diplomat said.The Zimbabwean heard that the Council also received reports on the status of Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations; the SADC Job Evaluation Exercise, floods in the region as well as the report from the SADC Finance Sub-Committee on the Community’s budgetary obligations for 2008.
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