Zanu (PF) has flatly refused to countenance security sector reforms. On Monday negotiators in the GNU met in Harare and agreed on timelines for everything on the election roadmap. But once again, Zanu (PF) says there can never be any security sector reforms.
"Disagreement on security sector reforms is timeless," Zanu (PF) negotiator Patrick Chinamasa said after Monday meetings, adding that his party would never agree to security sector reforms and there was nothing the MDC could do about this.
The establishment of a task team by SADC, under the leadership of President Jacob Zuma, to search for a solution to the situation in Zimbabwe can be seen as "the most severe slap in the face yet" for President Robert Mugabe.
"If a country's neighbours decide to speak about their 'brother's' problems in public, it is, in diplomatic terms, tantamount to drawing the line on its actions," said political commentator Ronald Shumba.
Despite Zanu (PF)'s raving and ranting, it has no choice but to abide by SADC's election plan, including security sector reforms, he added.
The task team was announced at the June 12 SADC summit in Sandton. Zuma will appoint a high-level official to head the team, together with officials to be seconded by the president of Zambia and Mozambique – South Africa’s partners in the SADC troika.
"When heads of state within a region join forces to intervene in another country, it emphasises the seriousness of the problems," Shumba said. "It is also significant that South Africa is prepared to take the lead, even though it is known to shy away from strong-arm tactics. It is a masterstroke by Zuma not to tackle the task alone, but to unite his allies in a multilateral initiative."
Targeted measures by western nations have not had the desired effect, but should Mugabe be isolated by the SADC leaders, it would remove his legitimacy.
According to Shumba, it boils down to the isolation of Mugabe. "When your neighbouring states start taking sides with your own political opposition parties within your own borders, you do not have much of a chance."
According to SADC executive secretary Tomaz Salomao, the task team will shortly launch action plans. "Guidelines have to be set, but to save time, groundwork can be done in the meantime. The task team will work closely with the negotiation team and JOMIC,” he said.
And it has to report back to the SADC summit in Angola next month. “SADC is clear that it wants elections that are free and fair in any of its member states, Zimbabwe included," Salomao said. "The region is trying to work on ways and means in which these elections can be held.”
MDC spokesman Douglas Mwonzora welcomed the involvement of other countries in the region. They have not yet been fully informed about the composition of the task team, but in the interim, the involvement of the task team "looks promising".
"Should Mugabe be willing to co-operate, this can be a step in the right direction," said Mwonzora. So far, Mugabe has shown open contempt for SADC and its organs.
Post published in: Africa News