SADC denies giving Mugabe clearance to form cabinet

 

Mugabe’s regime threatened on Thursday to form a new government and warned that nothing will stop them from doing so. The MDC leadership meanwhile has resolved as a matter of urgency to write a letter of

protest to South African President Thabo Mbeki about Robert Mugabe’s

‘suicidal mission’ – as forming a new government is in breach of the Memorandum of Understanding.

 

ZANU PF’s Matonga reportedly told South Africa’s SAfm radio station that Mugabe is acting based on the mandate’ of SADC. The claims have come as no surprise as SADC effectively endorsed Mugabe as Zimbabwe’s leader by welcoming the dictator to a heads of state summit in South Africa, despite growing pressure for regional leaders to isolate him. Reports have also emerged that SADC endorsed a power sharing deal that would have seen Mugabe remain as head of state and of the government – a deal that saw MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai come under heavy pressure to sign. When a signature was not forced out of Tsvangirai, SADC instead gave Mugabe the green light to convene parliament.

 

SADC Executive Secretary Tomaz Salamao however, has since denied the claims that the regional body gave Mugabe the mandate to form a new cabinet, telling VOA that it is not true that this body gave Harare the

green light to appoint a new cabinet.’

 

Political analyst from the University of Zimbabwe, Dr John Makumbe told Newsreel on Friday that Mugabe’s party is trying to up the ante’ by playing these kind of political games. He said SADC itself made the mistake of violating the Memorandum of Understanding’ by allowing Mugabe to reconvene parliament, and it is no surprise that Mugabe is lying through his teeth’ as SADC obviously backs his leadership. Makumbe added that the MDC is now in trouble and needs to completely back out of the power sharing negotiations.