Maravi

Talk directly to leaders of Zimbabwe, urges KK

Talk directly to leaders of Zimbabwe, urges KK
By Masuzyo Chakwe in Lusaka, Kingsley Kaswende and George Chell
Friday June 27, 2008 [04:00]

DR Kenneth Kaunda yesterday said people that want to help resolve the Zimbabwean political crisis should talk directly to that country's political leaders instead of speaking through the press. And MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he will not negotiate for a political settlement after today's deadline he has given President Robert Mugabe if the veteran leader goes ahead with the election in which he is the only competitor.

Commenting on the recent development in Zimbabwe ahead of today's presidential runoff polls, Dr Kaunda said if people were going to help, they should talk to both the government and opposition leaders directly.

"It is very important that if we want to succeed in our efforts to help the extremely difficult situation in Zimbabwe, we must talk to the leaders of Zimbabwe, not to the leaders of the press. We value what you (press) are doing very much indeed but if we are going to succeed, we must talk to them. Lets go there," he said.
Dr Kaunda, who did not want to say much on the situation, still insisted on a government of national unity.

"Come these elections or not, I beg that we should work for a government of national unity, that also means talking to leaders there," he said.

On the position that the current SADC chairperson had taken on Zimbabwe, Dr Kaunda declined to comment.

And as of yesterday, the SADC, United Nations, African leaders and other global leaders had called for the election to be put off, but the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said Tsvangirai's withdrawal was invalid and the election would proceed today.

ZEC chairperson justice George Chiweshe told journalists at Harare's Rainbow Towers Hotel that the commission had deliberated on the content and effect of Tsvangirai's letter where he cited various reasons.

He said after deliberating on Tsvangirai's letter, the commission concluded that the MDC leader's withdrawal was a nullity.

"It was unanimously agreed that the withdrawal had, inter alia, been filed well out of time and that for that reason the withdrawal was of no legal force or effect," justice Chiweshe said. "Accordingly, the commission does not recognise the purported withdrawal.

We are, therefore, proceeding with the presidential runoff election this Friday as planned. The ballot papers have been printed and dispatched. We are advising Mr Tsvangirai accordingly."

Asked if the withdraw would have an effect on the legitimacy of the election, justice Chiweshe responded: "The pullout has no legal force. In fact, there has been no pullout."

He said ZEC was ready for the elections and that the results of the presidential run-off would be announced as soon as they were ready.

Tsvangirai, who withdrew from the run-off and called for a negotiated political settlement, said the deadline for negotiations was today.

"I have been prepared to negotiate before June 27, not after," he said. "Negotiations will be over if Mr Mugabe declares himself the winner and considers himself the President. How can we negotiate?"

Tsvangirai said if Mugabe approached him after today, he would tell him that the time for negotiations was over.

"I would tell him that I made these offers, I made these overtures, I told you I would negotiate before the elections and not after because it's not about elections, it's about transition.

You disregarded that, you undertook violence against my supporters, you killed and maimed, you are still killing and maiming unarmed civilians, the army is still out there. How can you call yourself an elected President?

You are illegitimate and I will not speak to an illegitimate President."

On Wednesday, Tsvangirai said the only way to end the impasse in Zimbabwe would be to establish a transitional mechanism that would recognise the results of the March 29 election.

"I am asking the African Union and SADC to lead an expanded initiative, supported by the United Nations, to manage the transitional process. We are proposing that the AU facilitation team, comprising eminent Africans, set up a transitional period which takes into account the will of the people of Zimbabwe.

The African Union team would lead in the constituting and character of the transitional period. The transitional period would allow the country to heal.

As the MDC, we have always said we will be magnanimous in our victory. Genuine and honest dialogue amongst Zimbabweans is the only way forward. The MDC is a people's project; we value our county and our people," he said.

"I want to emphasize that the basis of any settlement must recognise the fundamental principle of democracy, that is, the respect for the will of the people to choose their own leadership.

Over and above this, the Zimbabwe political solution must recognize the following - stability, inclusivity, acceptability, and credibility.

The sum total of all this is legitimacy. A negotiated political settlement which allows the country to begin a national healing and the process of economic reconstruction, provision of humanitarian assistance and democratisation would be in the best interest of the country."

Earlier, the SADC's security troika urged the postponement of Friday's election, saying the re-election of President Mugabe could lack legitimacy in the current violent climate.

The troika, comprising Tanzania, which doubles up as African Union chair, Swaziland and Angola, during a meeting in Swaziland called for talks between the two leaders before a new runoff date could be set.
However, ZANU-PF insisted that the election would go ahead today despite calls for it to be postponed.

Since Tsvangirai pulled out on Sunday, it has been business as usual for President Mugabe, who has been campaigning, holding more than 15 rallies in different parts of the country since Sunday.

ZANU-PF's insistence was even fuelled by ZEC's declaration of Tsvangirai's withdrawal as invalid.

But MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said the party would not recognise the election as well as its outcome because it would be illegitimate.

"We are not even surprised with (ZEC's) decision. They are the ones who failed to put down conditions for a free and fair election. Our case is clear. An election is not possible in the current conditions," Chamisa said in an interview. "ZEC can sympathise with ZANU-PF but that will not be an election. There will be no election held in our view.

This is just a circus. How can one man contest alone? You can't have a race in which you are the only competitor and say you have won. They will have no legitimacy because it is a mock election, an artificial construct of an election."

Chamisa appealed to African and world leaders not to endorse what he called an illegal regime.

Earlier after he received a donation for the Kenneth Kaunda Foundation from the Egyptian government, Dr Kaunda said Africa without the unity of other countries on the continent could not go very far.

He said the example shown by the Egyptian government should be emulated by other excellencies in Zambia and beyond.
Dr Kaunda said HIV/AIDS and malaria were diseases that were killing thousands every day.

"So your contribution to our great struggle is outstanding and we are very grateful indeed, I will convey to the Egyptian President in writing through you Mr Ambassador, may the good Lord Almighty continue guiding you and your great country," Dr Kaunda said.

And Egyptian Ambassador to Zambia Sherif Shaheen said his country would support Dr Kaunda in the fight against AIDS.

Dr Waza Kaunda said the focus of the foundation was on children.
Dr Waza said they were currently supporting orphanages by improving the infrastructure.

Labels: KENNETH KAUNDA, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 9:04 AM