(TALKZIMBABWE) President Mugabe meets ZIDERA architect, Donald Payne

President Mugabe meets ZIDERA architect, Donald Payne
Our reporter
Sun, 07 Jun 2009 04:42:00 +0000

PRESIDENT Mugabe met with US Congressman Donald Payne last week ahead of PM Tsvangirai’s three-week visit to Washington and European capitals to call for the lifting of sanctions and seek a package to revive the economy. Payne is the US Congress' House Committe on Foreign Affairs, Sub-Committee on Africa and Global Health chairman.

He was involved, together with representatives from the united Movement for Democratic Change party, in the crafting of the notorious Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA) in 2001-2002.

In May this year, the sub-committee held a hearing on Zimbabwe at which Payne spoke on the current situation in the country and ways in which the US and Zimbabwe could normalise relations.

The hearing was dubbed: "Zimbabwe: Opportunities for a New Way Forward".

Payne was criticised for not inviting Zimbabwean ambassador to the US, Machivenyika Mapuranga and a representative from South Africa - the current chair of the Southern African Development Community - the facilitator and guarantor of Zimbabwe's Global Political Agreement which paved the way for the formation of the inclusive Government.

President Mugabe told Payne that the inclusive Government had tasked Prime Minister Tsvangirai to visit the US and European capitals to call for the lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe, the repeal of ZIDERA and to seek aid to resuscitate the economy.

According to sources close to the deliberations between President Mugabe and Payne, the President expressed hope that his visit would lead to the removal of the sanctions the US imposed through ZIDERA.

"The President especially underscored that what Zimbabwe wanted were not just handouts and donations, but soft loans and credit lines which Zimbabwe would pay back on the strength of its own resources.

"He was hopeful the Congressman’s visit would bring ‘the flag of freedom from sanctions’," a source said.

Payne emphasised that he was a supporter of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and it was important that the inclusive Government reasserts human rights.

He told the President that Washington wants peace and justice in Zimbabwe and was strong on issues pertaining to human rights.

"He also revealed that the US Congress would take the initiative on ZIDERA and would send it to the executive for consideration in the shortest possible time," the source said.

Mr Payne informed President Mugabe that the US was currently working with Cuba, Iran and Venezuela to normalise relations and it was important that Zimbabwe was not left out of this new engagement policy.

Payne was involved in the crafting of ZIDERA, but his meeting with President Mugabe was described as cordial.